Conflicted Love
by JasperLuver48
Summary: Jasper meets Bella in a bar and they end up going home together. He thinks he sees something special in her and then he finds out she has a boyfriend. What happens when the painful past he's been trying to forget from comes back with a vengeance?
1. Meeting Bella Swan

**Author's Note: This story idea hit me one day as I was driving down the road listening to a song called "She Won't Be Lonely Long" by Clay Walker. Now only the inspiration for the basis of the story came from that song but the rest of this is coming along as I go. You'll have to bear with me as we go along because I am not sure how long it will be between updates, but they will come. **

**I need to send out a HUGE HUGE HUGE thank you to my good friend Coachlady1 for beta'ing this for me, fixing my mistakes and making it sound like a zillion times better. You rock so hard chica that I can't thank you enough, although I'll continue to send you hot guy p0rn for as long as you like as payment! I *heart* you times a gazillion!**

**Another huge thank you goes out to tiffaninichole who helped me come up with a suitable title for the story and read through it for me, assuring me that it isn't complete crap. She is the epitome of awesome and I wouldn't be where I am now without some awesome advice from her! You make me a better writer and are a super fantastic friend! Thanks love!**

**Both of these ladies are freakin hilarious and amazingly talented writers and you should definitley go check out their fics! You can find them both under my fave authors! **

**I hope you enjoy and thanks for bearing with me on this long ass author's note! **

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Chapter 1: Meeting Bella Swan

I felt like a fucking creeper, as I sat there in a dark corner booth of The New Moon, a bar and grill in the heart of downtown Lincoln, NE. This place was my sanctuary. It was where I came frequently when I'd had another bad day and needed to drown my problems, and boy did I have problems. Tonight, though, the problem was that I'd been trying to stop myself from staring at an incredibly beautiful woman in the opposite corner of the bar.

I knew that it wasn't polite to stare and I'm nothing if not polite, but there was something about her presence that was seriously captivating me. I'd never seen her in here before and I knew most of the regulars. She was wearing a red, strapless dress that was just a bit too tight in all the right places, and her wavy, chocolate brown locks were draped over her bare shoulders. Her skin had a milky, creamy complexion and she was just stunning. There was something sad about her big brown eyes though, and I felt a pang of empathy for her. I'd noticed that she'd been downing shots of tequila all night long. Sitting by herself, she'd turned down the advances from other men but would look up in my direction every once in awhile and I'd avert my eyes quickly. I could tell she was trying to forget someone; no woman drank that much without an agenda.

I downed my third glass of Jack, trying to psych myself up to approach her._ Man up, fucker, _I thought then took a deep breath and headed straight over to her booth. "Hello, miss. What's a pretty lady such as yourself doing sitting here all alone?"

"Drowning my fucking sorrows, what's it look like?" she answered crudely, a low blow to my hopes of succeeding in keeping her company.

"Well, that just won't do, will it? Such a beautiful woman shouldn't have sorrows to drown. Would you like some company?" I asked anyway, still hoping for a change of heart.

"I don't know. Why would you want to keep me company?" she asked, her voice immediately going soft and I could tell she was holding back tears.

"Why wouldn't I, miss?" I wondered, shocked that this beautiful woman thought so little of herself.

"He didn't care enough to, so I figured no one else would." She sighed.

_Oh, I get it—ex-boyfriend issues._ "Please forgive my terrible manners, my name's Jasper, by the way. Jasper Whitlock," I said, extending my hand to her.

She took my hand in hers to shake it and I kissed the back of it. "Isabella Swan. Erm, please just call me Bella, though."

"Well, it's nice to meet you Bella." I told her as I boldly took a seat next to her in the booth. "Would you like to talk about your problems?"

"Nope, I'd rather forget about them." She looked down at her shot glass and her forehead crinkled up in disappointment. "I need another shot."

"Allow me," I offered, and walked over to the bar. I ordered her a shot of tequila and me another glass of Jack and Coke.

I returned to the booth and we sat there shooting the breeze for awhile. I learned that she was twenty-one, had lived in Washington State for most of her life and had just transferred the University of Nebraska at the beginning of the year. I told her about how I'd grown up in Lincoln, was twenty-three, and had just graduated from the University myself.

She warmed up to me pretty easily and was now being extremely flirtatious. I was really kind of glad to have the company because I didn't have many friends these days. Being the man I am, there was only one woman I'd ever been serious about. Recently, there had been a few women who'd flitted in and out of my life at random times but none of them had tempted me into a long-term relationship. I was definitely not ready for that shit again.

I was flirting back with Bella as we added several more shots to the already-consumed alcohol. I was beginning to feel buzzed and extremely attracted to this girl—a dangerous combination. I knew I needed to go home, but I didn't want to leave her.

"Hey darlin', wanna take this party back to my place?" I whispered in her ear.

"Yes, desperately," she purred in my ear, then licked it so seductively that it sent reverberations through my entire body.

I grabbed her hand and we stumbled to the door. "I only live a couple blocks around the corner."

We stopped at the red light before crossing the street, and Bella reached her arms up around my neck and kissed me passionately on the lips. I found myself drawn to her and continued the kiss even though the light had turned green. She now had her hands fisted in my hair and I wrapped my arms tightly around her waist. We spent maybe another sixty seconds enthralled in that kiss before someone behind us shouted, "Get a freakin' room, pervs!"

I pulled out of the kiss and whispered, "My apartment's right over there; let's go!"

We practically ran to the building and Bella attacked me as soon as we hit the elevator. I hit the button to the twenty-fourth floor and up we went. She had her hands roaming all over my body as she explored my neck with her mouth. She was almost slobbering drunk now and I was beginning to wonder if she really knew what she was doing. _Fuck Jasper, don't cock block yourself_, I was thinking as I thoroughly enjoyed the assault on my body. I _was _a gentleman first and foremost, but the caveman in me was trying to beat his way out of the cage he was imprisoned in. The elevator dinged and we headed toward my door. I grabbed my keys and unlocked it, opening it for Bella to enter.

She walked into the apartment and I flipped on the light. I scanned the room, noticing that it wasn't too dirty, thank God. I'm not a slob but I'm definitely not Mr. Fucking Clean. "Can I get you anything Bella?" I asked hospitably.

"Do you have any tequila?" she asked, looking around the apartment, her words slightly slurred. I'd say that whoever it was she was trying to forget, she'd finally succeeded. She definitely wasn't that sad, troubled girl I'd first met anymore. Now she was bold and forward, not afraid to go after what she wanted, and what she wanted in that moment, was me.

"I'm sorry Bella, I don't think I have any tequila. Would you like a soda?" I suggested, more than positive that she'd had more drinks than she'd intended to have. I knew I'd ended up drinking more than I meant to, but, fuck, she'd had me so nervous. I hadn't been nervous around a girl in a long time so this one must've be special. _No, not special, dickface. We don't think girls are special anymore, remember? Not after last time. _

"No, I'm good, thanks. I _would_ like for you to sit here next to me, though." She patted the seat next to her on the couch and winked at me.

Again, being the gentleman I was, I obliged and sat down next to her. She immediately wrapped her arms around me and crushed her lips to mine again. She was eagerly unbuttoning my shirt and I let out an uncontrollable moan. Mini Jasper, or MJ, as I liked to refer to him, was now completely at attention and begging me to let him have some fun tonight. She giggled at my moan and purred in my ear, "Do you like me Jasperrrr?"

_Uhm, duh, who wouldn't?_ "Yes, Bella. You are beautiful darlin'. I like you very much," I groaned.

She was sucking on my earlobe and that shit drove me crazy. She whispered again. "Do you like kissing me?" _Hell to the fuck yes. _

"Very much, sugar." My hands were now wrapped around her waist and she was straddling me on the couch and grinding her core all up on MJ. _This is about to get interesting. _

"I like you too, Jasperrrr," she purred and began sucking on my jaw line. She trailed her way down my jaw and I moaned again.

"Bella, are you sure you want to do this? I mean, I don't want you to do something you'll regret later," I asked. _Please be sure you want to do this. _

"Oh, I' m suuuure, baby." Her words were still slurred but, still, she'd said she was sure. I let loose and began to kiss her back passionately. I licked her bottom lip, letting her know I wanted in and she opened her mouth. Our tongues began to dance with each other and she moaned into my mouth. _Oh, shit. _

"God, Bella, you taste so good," I breathed as I lowered my mouth to her neck. I continued licking and sucking as I grabbed a handful of her majestic ass in both hands and squeezed.

Her hands moved to my chest and her fingernails grazed over the bare skin that had been revealed after she'd finished unbuttoning my shirt. "That tickles." I chuckled as goose bumps popped up all over my skin.

"Uh, Jasper, that feels good. Don't stop, please, don't stop," she begged as she started to unzip the zipper on the side of her dress.

"What do you want me to do to you, Bella? Tell me what you want," I instructed , as I watched her continue to peel herself out of her dress. _Damn, this girl is going to kill me with lust-induced thoughts. _

"I want to you to suck on my breasts," she answered as she threw the dress on the floor and her boobs were bouncing in my face. I grabbed her supple flesh in both of my hands and continued to knead them with my fingers while I started sucking on the right one. Her nipple was hard in a matter of seconds and my tongue swirled around it, flicking it lightly. I moved to the left breast and licked my way around it.

"Take me to your bedroom, Jasperrr," she demanded. I stood up, letting my shirt fall off my body and led her to my room. Standing up made me feel the effects of the alcohol rush through my system, and I felt drunker now than I had all night. _I wonder if it's affecting her the same way? I hope not. _

I laid her down on the bed and began to kiss my way down her body. She was barely able to move anymore, so I assumed the alcohol was hitting her harder, too. Her eyes were glazed over but the caveman had successfully busted out of his cage and won the war. There was no stopping him now. There was a sensationally beautiful, naked woman in my bed and MJ was going nuts. I was breathing in her scent and she smelled like vanilla sugar mixed with tequila, which oddly enough worked for her. I tried to commit that scent to memory as I licked and sucked at every inch of skin that I could get my tongue across, savoring the taste of it. She tasted fucking amazing and was moaning so sexily that I never wanted this to stop. _Wait, what? Ah, hell no, Jasper, no fucking long-term thoughts. Stay in this moment; it's safer. Don't let this girl get to you. _

"Uuungf," Bella moaned, "Don't stop, Jasperrrr. You're making me feel things he neverrr could." _Huh? He who? I'm confused. What's she talking about? _

"Things who couldn't make you feel, Bella?" I asked, hoping for clarity. _Pay attention drunk-ass. _

"Edward, my boyfriend," she mumbled, barely coherent. She was so drunk that I truly doubted she knew what she was saying. _Damn it. _That clobbered the caveman in the head and he'd now been officially caged back up.

"Wait, what?" I shouted, instantly shooting up from the bed. "You still have a boyfriend?" _Fuck NO! I'm not that kind of guy. I thought she referred to him in the past tense earlier. Didn't she? God, I'm too drunk for this. _

Bella's eyes were now closed and she wasn't moving. _Great, she's passed out on my bed; now what?_

I got up off the bed and stumbled over to my dresser, grabbed a t-shirt and a pair of pajama pants from the drawer and headed back over to Bella. I dressed her in my clothes, positioned her at the top of the bed, and pulled the covers up over her. I was still so confused but I knew better than to fuck with some other guy's girlfriend. No man deserves to have his girlfriend taken away from him. I should know. _Don't go there again. You'll just open that can of worms and it won't be pretty. Warning: Danger! Danger! _

I stopped those memories from entering my head and decided that what I really needed was a cold shower. I was so worked up between the alcohol, the grope-fest, and the confusion of what had just happened that I needed to calm the fuck down. I started the shower on cold but quickly turned it to hot once MJ was under control again. I let the hot water work its magic on my tense muscles and slowly I began to relax. The water was doing wonders at sobering me up and I was getting tired.

After I got dressed, I grabbed the extra pillow and blanket from the hallway closet and headed to my final resting place for the night, the living room couch. _Oh, joy._


	2. The Morning After

**Author's Note: Just wanted to say thank you so much to all the lovely people who have already put my story on alert or have favorited it! You guys make me feel so special! Thanks again so much! **

**Speaking of special, here's where I add my HUGE thank you to coachlady1 for beta'ing this shit and making it easier to read. I'm seriously punctualtionally challenged and she rocks my socks so hard they are literally non-existant! Lub you darlin'! *Also if you haven't already, head over to her profile and check out her story Dangerous Corporate Liasons, it's fuckawesome, just like she is!* You can find her under my favorite authors or favorite stories! **

**Ok, enough lovin... Enjoy more Jasper and please review!**

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Chapter 2: The Morning After

_Where the fuck am I? _I couldn't for the life of me figure out where I was at first. I looked around the room and when I my eyes finally focused, I realized exactly where I was. _Oh fuck, it wasn't a dream. _Yeah, I was on the couch in my living room. That means that last night wasn't a dream and there really was a beautiful woman passed out in my bed. I sat up and tried to stretch my muscles and I knew I was going to be paying for sleeping on that couch for a week. It was definitely not meant to be slept on.

I got up and headed into the kitchen to make some coffee. I was in desperate need of some caffeine and coffee just so happens to be the sustenance that keeps me going throughout the day. I still had no idea what I was going to do about Bella. I should be seriously furious but I couldn't bring myself to get angry at her. In all actuality, I kind of felt bad for her. _Don't be such a fucking wimp, dickwad. She's not getting in here. Seriously, the brick wall surrounding this heart and all its reinforcements are NOT coming down for this chick. _There has to be something that's happened to her to make her act that way; I could see the sadness in her eyes last night.

I knew one thing for sure - I was going to get some answers. _Damn straight you are, your sore ass fucking muscles wanna know why they were put through such torture. _As soon as the coffee was done, I poured two massive cups and headed into my bedroom.

As I rounded the corner, I noticed that Bella was sitting up in my bed with her knees drawn to her chest and her forehead was resting on top of her knees. She was visibly shaking and I could tell she was crying. _Aww damn, not with the waterworks already. _"Bella," I questioned softly, "are you okay darlin'?"

"What have I done? I didn't think I would really be able to go through with it," she sobbed.

"What are you talking about sugar?" I asked, totally confused at her rambling.

"I never meant to actually cheat on him. That's not me, I'm not usually vindictive. God, I'm such a horrible person."

"Bella, darlin', you didn't cheat on anyone last night. We were in the process of a minor grope-fest, but then you mentioned your boyfriend and passed out." _And doomed me to the corners of Hell for the night, don't forget that minor detail. Your muscles won't be forgetting for awhile. _"Then I put you to bed and slept on my couch." I explained to her, handing her a cup of coffee.

"Thank you," she whispered, accepting the cup and taking a small, slow sip. "I'm really sorry for the inconvenience I caused you and everything, but I don't even remember your name."

"The name's Jasper Whitlock," I told her. _You sure didn't have a problem remembering that last night, when you were straddling me on the couch. _"I don't mean to pry, but what in the world happened that has you so messed up. What did your boyfriend do to you?"

Her eyes got dark with sadness again and she paused for a moment before answering me. "He cheated on me with some skank from his Political Science class. I guess he's just practicing for later in life. He wants to be a politician."

"Well, then he surely doesn't deserve such a sweet, beautiful woman by his side. You deserve to be treated better than that," I reassured her. _And there's nothing worse than liars and cheaters in this Godforsaken world._

"I know I sound like an idiot but I love him and everyone makes mistakes. I mean, it definitely hurts me that it happened, but I think I can get past this. I was angry and I thought that if I went out and cheated on him, it would make things even." She sighed and then started crying again. _Maybe this girl isn't as smart as I thought. _

"If there's one thing I know for sure, Bella, it's that if a guy cheats on you once and you let him get away with it then he'll continue to do it. You are so much better than that darlin'," I told her as I took her hand and squeezed it.

That put a smile on her face. "You think so? He takes such good care of me though, usually."

"So, as long as he takes good care of you, it's ok for him to cheat on you?" I asked sarcastically, puzzled at that logic. _That shit does NOT make sense. _

She looked kind of hurt at my comment and I instantly felt bad. _Pussy._ "Well, that's not exactly what I meant, I don't know how to explain it. I just feel like he deserves a second chance. I guess I'm just too nice. I love him and don't want the last nine months to go to waste."

"Bella, he obviously doesn't care about the last nine months with you or he wouldn't have wanted to have sex with some skank when he's got such a quality woman in his life," I explained to her, gently rubbing circles on the back of her hand with my thumb. That's when I realized she hadn't let go and neither had I_. _I quickly let go of her hand, not wanting to give her the wrong impression. _Yeah, we don't do affection numbnuts. Affection leads to caring, and we don't give a shit. _

"I don't know what to do Jasper," she sighed dejectedly. "I'm really sorry for dumping all my problems on you and for causing you all this trouble."

"It's okay, darlin'. Why don't you get yourself out of bed and I'll make you some breakfast. Are you hungry?" I asked her, just as her stomach let out a loud rumble.

Bella giggled and nodded her head. "I guess that answers your question."

She climbed out of bed and followed me into the kitchen, leaning up against the counter. I got out the ingredients for pancakes and eggs and began to cook. Bella wanted me to fill her in on everything that had happened the night before, and I did so as I cooked. She just hung her head and looked more embarrassed as I went along. I couldn't help but notice how gorgeous she looked in my clothes with her bed hair, and I kept stealing sidelong glaces at her when she wasn't looking. _Oh who are you kidding? She looks fuckhot in those clothes and they need to come off now!_

"Breakfast is done, my lady," I announced as I set her plate down at the table.

"Thank you, Jasper. It smells delicious," she replied as she began eating.

We ate in silence but for some unknown reason, it wasn't awkward at all. You'd think that after all the crap that went down last night and this morning, it would be weird to sit here across from this girl I barely knew. I felt extremely comfortable with her and it's unexplainable. I'd never felt so instantly at ease with a girl, well at least not since last time. _Stop right fucking there. We are NOT going there right now. You need to check yourself before we end up right back at square one._

Bella broke the silence after we finished eating. "I can't apologize enough for my complete lack of control last night. I feel like I owe you something for everything you did for me and for being a total gentleman once I opened my big mouth."

_Yeah you and your big mouth ruined our good time. _"It's okay, Bella, you can stop apologizing now. I wouldn't have made any moves on you had I known you had a boyfriend, I'm not that kind of guy. In all actuality, I despise those kinds of guys," I explained, flinching at the end of the sentence as it caused me to remember something I'd rather not.

"So what's your story, Jasper?" she asked, curious.

"What are you talking about Bella?"

"I mean, there's got to be a reason that such a gorgeous and sweet guy isn't taken by a wonderful woman already," she said.

"Uhm, well that's a long story and I'm really not emotionally equipped to talk about it. As a matter of fact, I'd prefer if we didn't have to bring it up again, ever," I told her. _Dude, she's getting too close. Shut her out now._

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry," she apologized softly. "It just doesn't make sense to me. You are an amazing guy from what I can tell and any girl would be lucky to have you."

"Yeah, you would think, wouldn't you?" I replied sarcastically. "Like I said, long story and I'm not ready to get into it now."

Bella looked at me apologetically and went quiet for a minute before her face lit up and she shot me the sweetest, most angelic smile I've ever seen."So, Jasper, can I call you Jaz or do you prefer not?"

Hearing that name made me gasp loudly and visibly cringe. It ripped at my heart and made me want to throw up all of the contents of my stomach. I was having a hard time breathing and almost began to hyperventilate. _I told you this wasn't going to be good and look at what's happened now. Keep it together dumbass, don't fall apart now. You've worked too hard to get through this. _

Bella noticed the sudden change in my demeanor and instantly got up to comfort me. "Oh, Jasper, I'm so sorry. I didn't know," she whispered in my ear as she wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me.

"Breathe, Jasper, please breathe!" she begged, as she was starting to look extremely freaked out. She was rubbing circles on my back with her hand, trying to coach me with my breathing.

I couldn't speak. I was still trying to focus on calming down and warding off the panic attack that I knew was coming. _Breathe, mother fucker, breathe. Don't pass out. _I was counting to ten in my head and trying to even out my breathing when I got really dizzy and blacked out. _Great, just fucking great. _

When I finally came to, I was laying on the kitchen floor and I was wet. Bella was sitting next to me, holding my hand and crying. "Why am I wet?" I asked, sitting up very slowly. I knew from experience that if I tried to sit up too quickly, I'd just pass out again. _Can we possibly look like any more of a loser in front of this girl?_

"Oh, Jasper, are you okay? I was so scared and I didn't know what else to do, so I dumped water on your face. It works in the movies when someone passes out." She looked so embarrassed about it that I had to laugh.

She just glared at me as I continued to laugh. I was almost doubled over on the floor laughing so hard. "I'm fine, Bella, really. I swear. I didn't mean to scare ya, darlin', and for that I apologize."

"What exactly happened?" she wondered out loud.

"Uhm... I had a panic attack. I used to have them frequently but it rarely ever happens anymore. It's only triggered by extreme emotional distress," I explained, praying she wouldn't ask anymore questions.

"I see," she answered, taking the hint and for that I was extremely grateful.

"Well, this has honestly been the most interesting sixteen hours I've had in a long time." I chuckled.

"Yeah, me too," Bella agreed. "I suppose I had better get back home though."

That made me sad, I wasn't ready to see her go. "Can I see you again Bella?" I blurted out. _What in the fuck are you doing douche? She has a boyfriend. That means you need to stay away from her or you're going to end up getting hurt. _

"I'd like that Jasper. I think we could be good friends," she responded, flashing me that brilliant smile.

I gave her my cell phone number and she gave me hers, then she got ready and left my apartment.

I sat down on the couch and suddenly felt empty. I barely knew this girl and she was already having more of an effect on me than anyone had managed to have in a long time. _Yeah, you know you could have any fucking girl you want. Why are you lusting after one that you CAN'T have? You're just setting yourself up for a fall. _

And I knew I was, but for some reason, I didn't care.


	3. Thank God for Good Friends

**A/N: Hey babies! I just want to thank you all so much for your support with this story! It's one of my most popular fics, even with only two chapters so far. I appreciate you all adding me to favorite stories and putting me on story alert! It makes my day so much better when I open my e-mail and get the notifications! I'd love to hear what you all think so don't hesitate to review and let me know! I have to take a second to pimp out my newest one-shot, written for the Alternate Shippers contest. It's called Perfection Personified, so check it out when you are done reading and let me know if it's okay! I'm kind of in love with the Paul in my fic!**

**I have to give a *huge* thank you to my wonderfully amazing Beta and friend coachlady1. She is the peanut butter to my jelly and she makes this shit readable! Please please please, if you haven't yet, run quickly to her profile and read her stuff! She is literally *amazing* and you don't know what you're missing til you read it! **

**My next huge thank you goes out to tiffaninichole for all her support and for being such a wonderful friend and pre-reading this for me. She gives me the best suggestions for making the story better, and the characters only improve with her help. She is the cherries to my cheesecake and a truly gifted writer! Hurry to her profile and read her stuff 'cuz she's super! Check out her entry for the A/S contest, called "This Summer" if you love Jasper/Bella as much as we do! It's fantastic and a shoe in for the winner of the contest, I've read them all and it's the best! **

**You can find both of these amazing ladies under my favorite authors... Srsly run to them! **

**Okay... sorry for the long ass note, but these things need to be said! Enjoy and please review =)**

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Chapter 3: Thank God for Good Friends

I didn't really know what to do with myself after Bella left, so I called up the closest person I had to a best friend, Jacob Black. He lived in the apartment next to mine and I met him in the hallway one night after I'd just gotten home from The New Moon. We began to talk, he came in for a couple beers, and we'd been good friends ever since.

"Hey, Jake, it's Jasper."

"Hey man, what's the haps?" he asked.I mentally cringed at his question. _He may be total cool boy wannabe, but he's your only real friend, be nice._

"Uhm... I had a fucking weird night last night, do you wanna come over and have a beer?" I asked, not really caring if he wanted a drink or not, I just needed someone to talk to.

"Jasper, dude, it's not even noon yet, why the hell would you wanna drink already? This must be some serious shit, huh?" he questioned, sounding completely curious. _You don't even know the half of it dude, for fucking real. _

"Yeah, well, you don't really have to drink or anything if you don't wanna," I countered. "You could just come over for lunch or something." _Dude, just get the fuck over here and bring your ears, goddamn it. _

"Okay, sure Jasper. Yeah, I'll be right over."

"Great, thanks." _Really fucking huge thanks._

After I hung up the phone, I went into the bathroom to take some Tylenol. I was really hoping that it would help counteract the headache that I was developing, most likely it was from stress or hitting my head on the floor, and not from the alcohol consumed the night before. I rarely ever got hangovers, but stress headaches, now that was a different story altogether.

Jacob was knocking at my door not even five minutes later. I answered it and let him in.

"Hey, thanks for coming over," I told him. '_Cuz I'm about to lose my fucking mind over here. _

"No problem! What's going on, man? You never invite me over this early, so this must be huge," he replied, eyeing me questioningly and then walking over to the couch to sit down. _You have no idea how huge, dude._

"Okay," I sighed, sitting down in the recliner, bracing myself for the story I was I about to tell him. "So, last night I went to The New Moon and met a girl," I began. _The most beautifully delicious woman I've ever encountered. _

"Well, that's nothing unusual. There are always girls throwing themselves at you when you go to The Moon," he countered. _No shit, Sherlock._

"Yeah, well, there was something different 'bout this one. Her name is Bella and she's smokin' hot, Jake. I could tell she was trying to drink away the memory of someone or something, but I felt drawn to her, so I went up to her and we started talking. While we were talking, we drank a lot, and by a lot, I mean a shit ton. I actually brought her home, Jake."

"Whoa! Fuck man, that IS some shit," he answered in shock. "You've never brought a girl back here, so they won't know where you live." _I'm quite fucking aware of that, dumbshit. _

"Yeah, I know right? So when we got back here, she went about straddling me on the couch and things were starting to get hot and heavy. She was fucking wasted, dude, but I wasn't thinking much more clearly. I just knew there was something about her that I had to have, and I was just about to have her when she opened her mouth and mentioned her..." I paused for a second, my heart beating wildly in my chest at the memory, "boyfriend." _Goddamn cockblocking motherfucker._

Jake's jaw literally dropped open in shock. "What the hell, man?" _My sentiments exactly. _

"I don't know. Earlier in the night when I had asked her if it was okay to keep her company, she replied 'He didn't care enough to, so I figured no one else would.' That was in the past tense and I was too drunk to care, so I just assumed it was an ex-boyfriend. Boy was I wrong. Anyway, she passed out right after I freaked the fuck out about her still having a boyfriend."

Jake just shook his head in disbelief. "So, what did you do after she passed out?"

"Put some of my night clothes on her and tucked her into my bed. After that, I took a cold shower to calm myself down then I hauled my ass to the couch and slept there all night." My neck muscles throbbed extra hard at the thought of sleeping on the couch all night, so I reached up to rub them for a moment. My entire body was still extremely kinked up.

"Geez, you really weren't kidding when you said you had one hell of a night. So, I'm guessing she was still here when you woke up this morning, what happened then?" he asked urgently, leaning forward a bit as if that was going to make me answer his question any faster.

I hesitated for moment, before continuing my story. "Yeah, she was still here this morning when I woke up. First thing I did was make some coffee after I woke up on the couch and realized that last night wasn't just some fucked-up drunken dream. After it finished brewing, I poured two gigantic cups and made my way to the bedroom slowly. Just as I turned the corner, I could hear her crying."

"What did she have to be crying about? You're the one who slept on the Godforsaken couch all night." _Believe me, I fucking know. _

"Well, I asked her if she was okay and she was distraught because, apparently, she had told herself she'd feel better if she cheated on her dumbass boyfriend because he cheated on her. Ya know, an eye for an eye, but she didn't think she would actually be able to go through with it. I assured her that we didn't do anything but grope each other a bit and she felt a bit better about that," I continued, pausing slightly to catch my breath. It really takes a lot out of you to have to relive a night that you'd rather forget.

"So, her stupid ass boyfriend cheated on her and she thought it would be okay to cheat back? That's kind of fucked up, don't you think?" he wondered out loud.

"Don't you think the more fucked up part is that her idiotic fucking boyfriend would cheat on such a incredibly sexy, sweet, and amazing girl? I don't fucking get it, but here's the real kicker. She wants to give him a second chance. He cheated on her with some slut, and she's going back to him," I yelled the last part, like it was supposed to make me feel better or something. _She's dumb, so stop giving a shit about her. She went back to the cheating assfucker, which means she doesn't give two shits about you._

"Did you tell her to leave if she was gonna let him walk all over her like that? Damn, I hate girls who have such little respect for themselves that they will stay with a cheater," Jake replied, anger lining his voice.

"I suppose that woulda been a better option, instead I made her breakfast and tried to explain to her that if he cared at all about her and their nine-month relationship, he wouldn't need to have sex with some nasty whore. I told her that she's a quality person and deserves the same in return." _And I turned into a total pussy who goes and does exactly what I've been trying to avoid doing for the past four years. I started to care for her. _

"You're a much better person than I am, because I would have kicked her ass to the curb for being so stupid. 'Once a cheater, always a cheater,' and I've never met a cheater who has changed his ways. God cheaters piss me off." He physically rolled his eyes at the idea of cheaters. _I'm right there with you on that fucking eye roll, I swear._

"Okay, so after we ate breakfast, she wanted to know my story. Of course, you know I avoided that question like it was the black fucking plague by telling her it was a long story and that I wasn't emotionally equipped to tell her right now. Then she did something that no one has done in four goddamn years—she asked if she could call me..." I gulped and then whispered, "Jazz." My heart was about to pound its way out of my chest and I had to force myself to breathe normally so that I wouldn't pass out again.

"Oh, fuck!" was the only response I got from Jake besides his eyes being as wide as half dollars.

"Hell yeah, then all those damn memories, emotions, and just plain fuckery came flooding back over me. It's like that one fucking word broke the dam I had built in my brain to hold everything back and all of a sudden I was drowning in pain and foolishness. I couldn't take the anxiety, so I did the only thing I could and my entire body and brain just shut down and I passed the fuck out." _Effectively stamping the word 'idiot' on my forehead and losing any chance I had with her. _

"Wow, I had no idea that one word could cause you to have an anxiety attack. I thought you had those things under control and haven't had one in a really long time," he questioned.

"Yeah, well, I guess the stress of the night before and the emotional cesspool I was drowning in was too much for my body to handle. When I finally snapped out of it, I woke up in a puddle of water and my face was drenched. She had freaked out and dumped a glass of water on my face because it works in the movies." I was laughing at that again, because it was really funny. _And it was really cute, and so fucking innocent and sweet. _

Jacob was laughing along with me. "She really thought water would work, huh?"

"I guess so, it was really cute though. When she was sure that I was going to be fine, she said she had to be getting home and that's when I put the final nail in my coffin."

Jake looked a bit concerned at that analogy. "What the fuck did you do?"

"Asked if I could see her again, and she agreed. She thinks we could be good friends, how fucking perfect is that?" I asked, sarcasm dripping out of my mouth. _I'm a good fucking person who would never cheat on her, yet she only wants to be friends with me, while she goes running back to the dickdouche who is fucking half of Lincoln._

"Aww, geez, Jasper, that blows. What are you going to do?"

"The only thing I can do, be a good friend to her and show her what kind of guy she truly deserves. Eventually, she's got to realize that Edward is a fucking douche canoe who doesn't deserve the purity of the love she has to give, right?" I asked, knowing I sounded like a damn idiot. _What the fuck? How in the hell can you be pussy whipped already when you haven't even gotten any of that pussy? FUCK! _

Jake just chuckled at me. "You sound like a fucking Hallmark card or some shit, Jasper. Wake up and let the light shine in on that brain of yours. Girls like Bella don't have the courage to stand up for themselves and they don't think they deserve the good guys, once they've been cheated on. They feel like it's their fault because they weren't good enough or something, then spend the rest of the relationship trying to prove that they _are_ good enough to the dickhead who doesn't deserve them."

I mentally cringed when he mentioned her name, because that's the first time I'd heard it come out of someone's mouth and it made it so real to me that my heart literally fluttered. _No heart fluttering, damn it! Can't you see what's going to happen here? You're gonna get your heart smashed again and we can't survive that again. _

"I know, but I can't help but to want to help her. Jake, you are the only person I've told about what happened to me, so you are the only one who can tell me honestly, is this going to end in heartbreak? I don't know what to do. I get so lonely and I hate it, but I can't handle that kind of pain again." My voice broke a bit towards the end, but I caught myself from getting too emotional. _Pansy, don't fucking start with the waterworks. _

I looked at Jake, anxiously waiting for his answer. He looked up at me and smiled. "Well, I know it isn't going to end in the exact same way, because that would be too fucked up, but I can't tell you if it's going to end in heartbreak or not. What does your heart tell you to do?"

"My heart says to do whatever I have to do to honorably gain Bella's affections, but my brain says to run as far away from Bella and this entire situation as I can get without looking back for fear of getting my heart broken again. I hate being alone all the time, but I just don't know if I'm ready to let someone else in yet, although I think my heart has already let her in. I just don't know, Jake." _Listen to your brain, I'm the one with the smarts, look what happens when you listen to your heart. I'm looking out for everyone in this situation. _

"Okay, I say follow your heart but take your brain along with you. Sometimes your heart doesn't care about the pain but your brain will try to keep you from doing something stupid. Does that make sense?" he asked, his face drawn up into a questioning expression.

"I suppose that makes sense. Thanks, Jake, for listening to me and helping me out. You're the true definition of a good friend." I stood up and stuck my hand out to shake his, but he grabbed me and hugged me. _Ugh, what's up with the fucking emotional roller coaster today? Are you pms-ing? Do you need a fucking tampon?_

"So, how bout that lunch invitation? I'm fuckin' starving," Jake reminded me.

"Yeah, we can eat. What do you want?" I asked him.

"Let's head down to the Haymarket and grab a burger at Lazlo's," he suggested. "That sounds good, don't it? Plus, then you won't have to cook."

"Yeah, let's go. Wanna just walk?"

"Yup, sounds good."

We left the apartment and headed down to the Haymarket. It wasn't very far, maybe a ten minute walk, and we arrived during the lunch rush. As we were waiting for a table to open up, I went to check my phone and realized that I had forgotten it at home.

"Damn it!" I cried out.

"What's wrong?" Jake asked, looking me up and down, probably trying to make sure I wasn't going to have another panic attack right here. _Jesus Christ, I'm not that pathetic, I swear. _

"Oh, I just forgot my phone at the apartment."

"Well, don't fucking scare me like that again, Christ!" Jacob replied, only half joking.

When we finally got seated, we ordered our food and a beer. Jake steered the conversation in the direction of the breaking news in the sports department at school and what was going on with the Saltdogs, Lincoln's baseball team. I really owed him big time for getting my attention off my current emotional situation and just focusing on some manly guy talk. It was a nice break. Our food arrived and we ate the burgers and fries, and downed our beers, ordering a second. Lazlo's was one of my favorite places to eat, because the food was homemade awesomeness and the staff was super friendly.

Once we were finished, I paid for our food, despite Jacob's protests, and we headed back home.

"Thanks for lunch, Jasper, but I am perfectly capable of buying my own lunch," he insisted, punching me in the shoulder. _Just be grateful and stop whining. _

"I just wanted to do something nice for you, to show you I appreciate your friendship and advice from earlier. It's nice to have at least one person to talk to," I retorted, punching him back harder.

"What about Emmett? You know you can always talk to him," he reminded me, bringing up my older brother.

"I know, but he's always so busy with Rose and the kids that I hate bothering him with my problems."

"That's what family is for, man. If you can't rely on family, you might as well be living life alone," Jake replied.

"Now who sounds like a fucking Hallmark card?" I chuckled, giving him shit.

We reached the apartments and entered the elevator. It always seemed like such a long ride, but twenty-four floors is pretty high up. When the doors finally opened on our floor, we got out and walked down the hallway toward our respective doors.

"Uhm, Jasper..." I heard Jake break off just as I looked up and saw someone sitting in front of my door.

"Bella?" I asked softly and she looked up at me with tears glistening in her eyes.

I crouched down and looked sincerely into her eyes. _Those deep brown eyes that I could get lost in forever. _

I heard a click and realized that Jake had gone into his apartment, leaving us alone to deal with this. "What's wrong, sugar?"

She broke down, threw her arms around my neck, and cried, "I'm sorry, I just didn't know where else to go."

* * *

So, what did you think of the chapter? I'm hoping you loved it as much as I loved writing it. The Haymarket and Lazlo's are real places in Lincoln, NE and they are awesome! Please go ahead and click that little review button, what's it gonna hurt? *wink*


	4. A Growing Friendship

**Author's Note: I'm so in love with Jasper in this fic that it's crazy. He's my perfect man *le sigh* Just to clarify, Jasper is a sweet gentlemanly-type guy but he *is* a guy! He does have dude thoughts and that's where the cursing comes in! He would never swear or get angry with Bella, but in his mind and around his friends, he's typical Jasper the dude. Thanks to all you wonderful reader's out there in ffnet land who have added CL to your favorites or story alerts or have actually reviewed th story, you all make me smile, especially after a long, hard day at work! **

**Gotta get my shout out's in: I've gotta thank the whole crew. **

**Thanks to my amazing friend Tiffaninichole for pre-reading this and giving me insight into future chapters. You rock me hard core girly! Honestly folks, if you haven't read her stuff yet, skip on over and do it! I can't stress enough how much more awesome she is than I am, plus her Jasper is uber sexy :)**

**Thanks to the best beta and most awesome friend *EVAH* Coachlady1! She makes this stuff readable and I'm so glad she doesn't kill me everytime while i'm fighting with the commas :) She is the best for realz y'all, so get over to her page and read her stuff too! If there were a true writing competition, she would school me everytime! She blows my mind, that's how good she is! Plus, she gave me the idea for Jasper's fuckhawt car in this chapter!**

**One new addition to my thank yous goes to my BFF Iceprincess747 for listening to me ramble on day after day about my plot ideas and helping me sort the good from the crap. She's my official idea-bouncer-offer and she helps me add to the plot! I love you girly! **

**Now that I got those thank you's out of the way, enjoy this next chapter and please don't forget to review!**

Chapter 4: A Growing Friendship

"Shhhh..." I whispered as I stroked her hair. "It's okay, Bella. Let's go inside."

As I helped her up off the floor, the look of pain in her eyes broke my heart. I quickly unlocked the door to the apartment and accompanied her inside. We made our way over to the couch and sat down.

"So, what's going on, darlin'?" I asked, trying to figure out what was making the angel in front of me cry.

"I went back home, to Edward's place, and found him..." she paused as the sobs ripped out of her chest again loudly, "in bed with his best friend." _Jesus fucking Christ, this guy has to be the most moronic asshole on the fucking planet._

"Oh no, Bella, I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed. "He's a damn idiot to do this to you. I don't know how anyone could hurt such an amazing person." She was still crying, but her lips faintly worked their way into a brief smile.

"What did I do wrong, Jasper? I thought he loved me. I've always had this suspicion deep down that something more was going on between them, but he always assured me that there wasn't. Why am I not good enough for him?" she asked, sniffling. _Fuck! Why is he doing this to her? Can't he see how perfect she is? Idiot!_

"Bella, you are perfect! There's absolutely nothing wrong with you, why would you think it's you? He's the biggest moron on the planet to lose such a wonderful person," I assured her. "Honestly, you are too good for him, sweetie. He is the one who doesn't deserve you, but don't you think it's better that you find out now, then when you are married with his children?" I felt the anger rising in my chest at the thought of Bella having children with anyone else. _Possessive much? Christ you are such a pussy!_

"I loved him, I mean, I still love him. I gave him everything I had to give and it still wasn't enough." She sniffled again and I became enraged at this point. _How in the hell doesn't she see it?_

"Bella, believe me, I used to know about love and he doesn't love you. There is no way he can love you and then do what he did to you. You have to let go of him. I know it's hard to do and you won't be able to stop loving him right away, but you have to move on. You have to quit letting him dictate how you feel. How can you not see what I see? You are such a smart, beautiful girl and I wish you could see it, understand it, and believe it about yourself. I haven't even known you for an entire day yet and I see it," I ranted to her, willing her to get it.

The look in her eyes after my outburst made me feel a little better. It was a cross between "I give up" and "I'm trying to believe you" and that was good enough for me. "Jasper, why are you being so good to me? You don't even know me, yet you gave up your bed for me last night after you stopped in the middle of something I initiated—which I'm still really sorry for by the way, and now you're sitting here trying to cheer me up after I unintentionally caused you to have a panic attack earlier today. I don't get it, what makes you think I'm worth the trouble?" she asked me, seeming genuinely confused. _Fuck. That bastard ex of hers is gonna get it if I ever see him. _

"Bella, I can't explain it any more clearly than I already have. I just know that you are, it's a gut feeling and I'm going with it. So tell me what happened, did you actually break up with him this time?" I asked, hoping for the right response.

"Well, I went home and headed directly to the spare room to change, since that's where most of my clothes are located. After that, I heard some noise coming from our bedroom so I knew Edward was home. I made my way quietly to the bedroom so I wouldn't startle him and just as I went to open the door I heard _those _noises. I threw the door open to see Edward pounding her from behind.

"I stood there watching it happen like a train wreck, I couldn't drag my eyes away and the tears just started flowing down my face. Once he finally noticed me in the doorway, he looked at me with that 'deer in the headlights' face and started scrambling for his clothes. I turned around and began to run down the stairs, headed for my car but he had wrapped himself in a sheet and was running after me.

"He caught up with me faster because my vision was blurry and he grabbed my arm, spinning me around. He said 'Bella, baby, I'm so sorry. You weren't supposed to see that. Where are you going?' I told him I had no idea where I was going, but it was far away from his lying, cheating ass. Then she came to the top of the stairs and I yelled at her that she could have him, I wasn't dealing with it anymore. He tried to protest but I told him to take his disgusting hands off of me and that I was done with him. I left and just drove around for awhile, pondering what to do next and I ended up here."

She made it through the story without bursting into tears, so I took that as a good sign. _But what motherfucking, cock sucking, piece of shit idiot would need anything other than Bella? She's perfect..._

I smiled to myself. "I'm glad you came back, Bella. I was hoping to see you again anyway, just under better circumstances."

"I wish it were under happier circumstances, too, but since I'm here, do you wanna hang out?" she asked, forcing out a half-chuckle.

"Yes, I would love to. What would you like to do today? We have all afternoon to do whatever you want," I told her.

"Really? You want me to pick what we do?" she asked, a little surprised.

"Yes ma'am, you're the lady, and it's almost always ladies choice. Why do you seem so surprised?" I asked, curious for the answer.

"I never get to do what I want to do, it was never my choice," she said quietly. _That little maggot._

"That's really sad, Bella, and that changes today. What would you like to do?"

"Can we go bowling?" she asked in a small voice.

"We can absolutely go bowling, but I have one condition."

Her face fell when she heard that, apparently she really wasn't used to getting to do what she wanted. "What's the condition?"

"No more being sad, the rest of the day is all about having fun, is it a deal?" I asked, reaching out my hand for hers, smiling like a fool.

She looked extremely relieved as I revealed my one condition and excitedly stuck her hand out to shake mine. "It's a deal!" she squealed happily, her grin matching mine.

"Great, let's go!" I suggested, as we took off toward the apartment parking garage.

"So, who was that guy you were with coming off the elevator?" Bella asked me as we walked towards my car.

"That's Jake, my best friend type person, for all intents and purposes," I answered as we stopped at my car and I unlocked the passenger door.

Her jaw dropped and she just stared at me for a moment. Then she slowly dragged her eyes away from me toward the car and then back at me again. "Are you serious, Jasper? _This _is your car?" she said, apparently shocked.

"Yup, this is my car." _More like it's my baby, the closest to loving something I've come in four years. _

"Jasper," she whispered, running her finger along the edge of the roof, "this car is beautiful."

"I know, she's my baby," I laughed, patting my car lightly on the hood. "Aren't ya, girl?" I added, talking to the car.

That made Bella laugh and it was like music to my ears. "What _exactly _is this beauty?"

"It's a 2006 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish. Silver is my favorite color, so, of course, this is the sexy girl I choose," I explained, over-exaggerating my love for the car by planting a kiss on the door that I held open for Bella."_ Yeah right, over-exaggerating my ass. You know you're hopelessly in love with this car. _

"Is it bad that I'm already jealous over your affection for this car?" she giggled, stepping lightly into the passenger side.

"Nah, everyone should be jealous of my girl here," I said, chuckling to myself as I climbed into the driver's seat. _Is it weird for me to be happy that she's jealous of my car? _

"So, you don't exactly strike me as a flashy person, Jasper. What makes you want this car so much?"

_Oh, I can be flashy, just you wait. _"It's simple really, I'm a dude and I enjoy fast cars. This car is the crème de le crème of cars. I'm not a flashy person, honestly. I enjoy the simple things in life, like good food or a good movie, but this car is my passion. I'd been saving up for quite a long time to get her when my father decided to help me out. Normally, I don't like taking money from my parents, I like to do things for myself, but how could I resist having this baby in my possession as fast as possible?"

I backed out of the parking spot and headed toward my favorite bowling alley in town.

"Well, that makes sense. What do your parents do for a living? They must be pretty well off if they were able to help you out with this car, it has to be expensive," she asked, looking at me intently as if to gauge my response to her personal question.

I knew it was coming and I only hesitated slightly before I told began to divulge some of the more personal details of my life. "I don't normally go around telling people about my parents because I don't want them to think that I'm just some spoiled rich kid who lives off of Mommy and Daddy's money. Yes, my parents are very 'well off' as you put it. My father is a very successful investment banker and my mother owns a high-end jewelry store with her partner. They also own the apartment building that I live in."

"Wow, that must be nice," she sighed, almost sounding disappointed.

"Don't get me wrong, Bella, my parents have worked hard their entire lives to get to the point that they are at now and they don't expect anything less of me. I have always worked for what I have. Yes, my parents paid for my college education and I don't have to pay rent living where I do, but I work for my money and I pay my own bills," I explained. _Please, don't let her think I'm a rich jerk now. _

"Oh, I see."

"Bella, what's wrong? You were fine just a few minutes ago and now you're all sad again." _I may never understand women and their mood swings. _

She sighed loudly and thought about her words for a moment. "I don't know, Jasper, all of a sudden I feel out of place in your company. I'm pretty much just a broke college student, here from Forks on scholarship. My father is the chief of police and doesn't make a lot of money himself; it's just a bit overwhelming I guess."

It was at that moment that we pulled into Madsen's parking lot. I shut the car off and turned to Bella, taking her hand in mine. "Bella, did you ever, for even one second, feel out of place with me before you found out about my parents?" I asked, cautious not to start sounding angry. _THIS is why I should never tell people about my mother and father, why don't I trust my instincts? Damn it!_

"No, I've felt extremely comfortable with you. I don't even know how to explain it, I should feel really weird with the strange guy who's bed I woke up in this morning, but I don't."

"Then you shouldn't start feeling weird now. I'm the same person now that I was this morning when you woke up and this afternoon when you came back to my apartment. This is why I don't like people knowing about my parents, but I trust you with that information, Bella. Please don't feel differently just because you know it now, okay?"

"Alright, I'm good. Shall we go bowling now?" she asked, flashing me that infectious smile of hers. _And we're back... _

"Yes, I think we should," I agreed, getting out of the car and walking over to open her door for her.

Bella giggled and stepped out onto the pavement, curtseying in a playful grand gesture. "Thank you, Mr. Whitlock, sir," she said in her best 'pretentious snotty rich people' imitation.

I offered her my elbow and we practically skipped into the bowling alley acting silly. After we had gotten our shoes and bowling balls, I entered our names into the computer and went to get a couple beers from the bar. We began to bowl and it was a lot of fun.

I loved the game, but couldn't brag about being too great at it. I was average at best, happy when my score landed in the 120's. Bella, on the other hand, was fantastic at it. When she went up for her first turn, I sure as hell wasn't expecting to witness what I did. Her form was flawless and her body looked amazing as she effortlessly tossed the ball down the lane toward the pins waiting at the end to be knocked down. They weren't disappointed by any means. She knocked them all down on the first shot and proceeded to bowl five more strikes in the first game, scoring well over 200 points.

We teased each other back and forth about who was going to win, although I was positive that I was going to lose hardcore. The conversation flowed very easily and I learned more about Bella's personality. She was extremely fun to be around when she was letting loose. _Don't forget to mention the ogling you did while she was bowling, that was some view you got from behind. Her ass looked amazing in those jeans. _

"So, Mr. Whitlock, how does it feel to lose to a girl three times in a row?" she teased me after our games were over, hanging her arm over my shoulder.

"Well, Miss Swan, I have to say that normally I'd be upset right now but today I had a great time, so it doesn't even matter. I'm just glad you were able to let loose and have a good time."

She giggled again and I felt my stomach twitch at that sound, it was magical and it made my body crave it. I found myself acting extremely silly in hopes of hearing her giggle one more time.

"I did have a good time; it was fun doing something I love to do so much. Thank you for coming bowling with me."

"I'm glad you suggested it. I haven't been bowling in a long time. Not since the last time Jake and I came here. It's nice to have female company for once," I told her. "Hey, are you hungry? All this physical activity is making me hungry!" _I'm always fucking hungry, wonder why that is?_

"Yes, I am hungry. I haven't eaten since you made me breakfast this morning. What do you suggest?" she asked, shyly.

"Fazolis, have you ever eaten there?"

"Yeah, a couple times. It does sound really good right now," she agreed.

"Okay, let's go then. I just have to pay for the games," I responded, heading toward the counter with both pairs of shoes.

"But..." Bella started to protest, and I cut her off.

"No buts, I am supposed to be cheering you up today and, therefore, I get to pay. End of story." I handed the man my card and he swiped it quickly, handing it back to me. After I punched in the pin number, I got my receipt and we left.

We headed to Fazolis and ate. I had the baked ziti and Bella ordered a ham and cheese submarino sandwich. We ate in relative silence and as we were leaving, I could tell something was bothering her again.

"What's going on in that pretty little head of yours, Bella?" I asked as I opened her door and she got back into the car.

After I was seated on my side and we were heading out of the parking lot, she finally spoke. "I had the best time with you today, Jasper. It was nice to get my mind off of everything, but reality just came crashing back down on me. I don't have anywhere to stay anymore. I was living in the dorms before school ended, but since I'm not taking summer classes, I don't have a dorm till fall. Edward told me I could just stay at his house for the summer since I had been practically living there anyway. Now that I've left him, I don't know where I'm I gonna go. I don't have the money to fly back to Forks for the summer or for a hotel."

Silent tears began to slip from her eyes and my heart was breaking for her. I could see that she had put so much of her trust in Edward to be there for her and he let her down in a big way. "He really let you down didn't he?" I asked softly, rubbing the back of her hand. _What a buffoon. _

She just nodded slowly, not uttering a word. I had been there before and knew better than to push the subject. "You'll stay with me until we figure something out," I said confidently.

"No, Jasper, I can't. You've already been more than wonderful to me and I can't impose on you anymore. You've done way too much already," she told me, refusing my offer.

"Well, what if I told you that I enjoy your company and you would actually be doing me a favor by staying with me. I get so lonely living alone and it's nice to have a friend," I told her, putting my psychology skills to use, hoping to get her to agree. _Who are you trying to kid? You know you just don't want her to leave because you are falling for her like a fucking fool. At least be honest with yourself about it. _

"What about that guy from the elevator? Jake, I think you said his name was. Isn't he your friend?" she asked.

"Yeah, he's the closest person I have to a best friend, but his companionship just isn't the same as yours." _Yup, because he's not nearly as easy on the eyes as you are and he doesn't make me wanna bend him over the couch. _

"Are you sure, Jasper? I really feel bad intruding on your life," she whispered.

"I'm positive."

"Alright then, I'll stay until I figure something out," she agreed, that beautiful smile reappearing on her face.

I was so excited that I almost forgot about the speed limit on the way back to the apartment. It took my radar detector going off to remind me to slow down. Once we made it back to the parking garage, I let us out of the car and set the alarm.

"I have one condition to you letting me stay here, Jasper," Bella blurted out randomly, stopping suddenly in the middle of the garage and turning to me.

"Oh, yeah?" I chuckled at her, thinking about what condition she could possibly be trying to come up with. "What's that, darlin'?" _She's so cute when she's trying to be forceful. _

She looked as if she was trying to muster up all the courage she had to tell me this and I began to worry. _What could she possibly be scared to say? God, that douche bag has really done a number on her. _"I'm sleeping on the couch. I refuse to take your bed away from you again."

I sighed in relief at her ridiculous condition. "Absolutely not. That couch is not comfortable. You will sleep in the bed."

My muscles immediately began protesting at the thought of sleeping on the couch again. "I won't take your bed away from you, Jasper. I'll sleep on the floor then." Her voice was getting more confident as she made her intentions clear. _Maybe she's really becoming more comfortable around you and realizes that you aren't anything like the idiotfuck she wasted the last nine months with. _

We were finally in the elevator, making our way up to my floor. "No, I'm sorry, but ladies do not sleep on the floor. I'll figure something out; you get the bed, end of story."

I unlocked the apartment once we got to it and we went inside. "Do you wanna watch a movie?" I asked, knowing it was getting late but not wanting this day to end.

"Yes, I would like that, but if it's not too much trouble could I take a shower first?" she asked hesitantly.

"Of course, the bathroom is down the hall, second door on the right next to the bedroom," I instructed.

"Oh no!" she cried out, scaring the crap out of me at the sudden decibel increase in her voice.

"What is it?"

"All of my stuff is still at Edward's."

"That's okay, you can use my shower stuff and there's a new toothbrush in the medicine cabinet. I'll get you some of my pajamas and we'll go get your stuff tomorrow okay?" I assured her, pulling her into my arms, craving the skin-to-skin contact.

"Thanks," she murmured into my chest, inhaling deeply and letting me hold her close for a moment. "You smell so good, Jasper."

I reluctantly let her go and she followed me into my bedroom, where I gathered a t-shirt and pair of flannel sleep pants. She took them and headed into the bathroom.

Once I heard the shower going, I called Jake.

"Hey bud, what's going on? How did things go today?" he asked and I knew he was curiously waiting for details on the day.

"Well, Bella caught Edward sleeping with his best friend so she came back here. We hung out all day but since she doesn't have anywhere else to go, I offered to let her stay here for a few days until we can figure something out."

"I'm glad you got things figured out," he said. "Did you have fun today?"

"Yeah, I really did. She's even more amazing than I thought she would be, man. Listen, do you still have that air mattress that you use when you go camping?" I asked, hoping he did.

"Sure, sure. Do you want to borrow it?" he offered, knowing me well. _Hallelujah! Thank God for having an outdoorsy type friend. _

"Yes, that would be great. I can't sleep on that couch again or my muscles are gonna mutiny. I imagine that air mattress would be a lot more comfortable."

"It will be. I'll bring it over in just a few minutes."

"Thanks, man. You're a lifesaver. See ya in a few!" I hung up the phone and went to wait for Jacob.

A few minutes later, true to his word, he was knocking on the front door. I let him in and grabbed the air pump from him.

"Let's air this up on the floor in the bedroom," I suggested and Jake followed me into my room.

Just as we were almost done, Bella finished her shower and walked into the bedroom. My jaw dropped instantly. I didn't think it was possible for Bella to get any sexier than she already was, but seeing her fresh out of the shower in my night clothes proved that theory to be wrong.

"What's going on in here?" she asked shyly, eyeing Jake and smiling at me.

"This, my dear, is my new bed. I won't be sleeping on the floor or the couch, and you will still be sleeping in the bed. Does that make you feel any better?" I asked, hoping it would satisfy her.

"Yeah, that makes me feel a little better, although I still think _you_ should sleeping in _your _bed."

"Well that's just too bad!" I laughed. "Oh, Bella, this is Jacob Black." I motioned toward Jake with my hand. "Jake, this is Bella Swan," I told him, motioning to Bella the same way.

Jake smiled and extended his hand to shake hers. "It's nice to meet you, Bella."

Bella met his hand with her own, "Nice to meet you too, Jacob!"

"Please, just call me Jake," he asked.

"Okay, I will, Jake," she giggled. _Music to my ears. _

Jake just looked at me while I was staring all goo-goo eyed at her. "Jasper, I'm gonna head on home now, okay?"

"Yeah, thank for the mattress, man. I appreciate it a lot," I told him, patting him on the back.

I walked him to the door and he just gave me the two thumbs up sign, before he said goodnight and walked out the door. I knew I'd be getting his full opinion later. I locked the door and headed back into the bedroom.

Bella was already snuggled up in bed with the television turned on. I took a quick shower and joined her on the bed for a movie. We sat up against the headboard and watched _Anchorman_, one of my favorite movies. I was shocked to find out that she knew most of the words herself. She looped her arm through mine, holding my hand, and rested her head on my shoulder halfway through the movie and the contact made my heart race.

I stopped paying much attention to the movie and began the internal debate on whether or not I was ready for what I'd already gotten myself into. I could tell that she'd already wormed her way into a place in my heart that hadn't been occupied in a very long time, but was I ready to give into my feelings and hit this full force? Would it be better to work my way back into the dating world slowly, step by step, like you would if you were trying to get used to a cold swimming pool? I didn't know what I was going to do. _You're gonna stop being a pussy and put that wall back up. We had a good time today, I admit, but you know what happens when you trust someone else with your emotions. Look at what happened to Bella and how hurt she is right now; don't let that happen to you again. _

I glanced down at Bella's face and there was one solitary tear slipping down her cheek. I softly swiped it away as the movie ended. I leaned down and whispered, "You should get some sleep. It's been a long day for you. I'll be right down there on the floor if you need me. Don't hesitate to let me know if you need anything, okay darlin'?" I squeezed her hand softly and she squeezed back in acknowledgment.

"Thank you, Jasper. Just thank you for everything." She closed her eyes and I didn't push it, I could tell she didn't want to cry again.

I climbed down off the bed and eased under the blanket on the air mattress. I slipped off into dreamland, longing to be up in the bed next to Bella, but knowing that I didn't have the restraint to take it slowly if I were to be up there.

I was startled awake by something and I looked at the alarm clock, it read three o'clock. "Bella?" I questioned softly.

I felt her body crawl up close to mine on the air mattress as she wrapped herself around my body. "Yeah, it's me. I'm sorry Jasper; I just can't sleep alone right now. I need you, I'm more comfortable with you," she whispered.

"It's okay, I'm here for you." I wrapped my arms around her waist and held her close to me. I couldn't hear it, but I knew she was crying again because I felt the warm tears soaking into my shirt. I just kissed her on the forehead and drifted back into a peaceful sleep._ This is good; I think I could get used to this again. Damn it..._

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So, what did ya think? I'm gonna post a picture of the '06 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish baby girl that Jasper is so in love with on my profile so if you want that visual, just hop on to the main profile to see it! Isn't Jasper soooo sweet? He makes me swoon! lol Go on ahead and click that review button to let me know what you think, since you've already made it this far =)


	5. Reflections

**Author's Note: Hey y'all! I'm so overwhelmed by the reviews and favorites/alerts that I'm getting from this story that it's awesome! Thanks so much for taking this journey with me! You guys make me feel loved and I love that you guys love my Jasper as much as I do :)**

**I gotta shout out to Tiffaninichole and thank her so much for always being awesome and helping me out by reading my chapters first and giving me her ideas! She srsly rocks my world and Jasper's too :) I love you chica, you are an epic friend! **

**Also a humungous thank you to coachlady1 for being the super beta that she is and proofing this shit so that it makes sense! I love you lady, you are amazing! Thanks for being a crazy awesome friend!**

**I've decided to give you guys a sneak peak into Bella's head and so I wrote this chapter from her POV :) I really hope you enjoy it! **

**Next item on the agenda is voting is now open for the Alternate Shipper's contest which I have written a Bella/Paul one shot for. I would greatly appreciate if you would head on over to their page and vote. The story is called Perfection Personified, and while you are there, you should DEFINITELY vote for Tiff's story too, because it's honestly the best one shot over there and since you can vote for 3, ya know... help her out and get her that win she deserves! Her story is titled This Summer and if y'all love Jasper as much as we do, you'll love her fic so read it and leave her some love! **

**The link to get there is: http :/ www (dot) fanfiction (dot) net/u/2333273/Alternate-Shippers_Challenge** **Just remove the spaces and put in a . for the (dot) **

**You guys rock so hard and we both will love you forever! Don't forget to review at the end and let me know if you liked Bella's chapter... **

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Chapter 5: Reflections

Bella POV

I woke up Sunday morning on an air mattress, clinging desperately to Jasper's body. I looked up at him but he was still sleeping peacefully. I couldn't help but admire his features as he slept. His eyes were the most vibrant shade of blue―like getting lost looking into the ocean on a sunny day. That delicious mouth of his was perfectly shaped, with full lips that I almost had to physically restrain myself from kissing, which was slightly disturbing considering I'd just had my heart broken to pieces and I shouldn't be wanting to kiss anyone right now. His hair was the perfect shade of dirty blonde, short in the back but a bit longer on the top, and it had waves to it. He was magnificent, there's just no other way to describe him. He had been so good to me since we met and I still didn't get it.

I continued to lie there, holding on tight to his sculpted deliciousness, and reflected on the past couple of days. To say that they were weird would be the understatement of the century. Friday afternoon, I found out from some skank that Edward, my douche of an ex-boyfriend, had sex with her. I instantly went into a rage and decided I was going to get even. I put on a dress that I knew drove Edward crazy to see me in without him around and went out to some random downtown bar. I didn't tell him where I was going or when I'd be back. I figured it was time for him to wonder where I was for once, although I couldn't be sure he even cared anymore. My brilliant master plan was to get trashed and end up in bed with some random stranger, no strings attached, and then flaunt it in Edward's face the next day. I'd ended up at The New Moon and that's when I saw _him_ sitting on the other side of the bar, looking like a supermodel. Several random guys came up to me, but the blonde was one I had my eye on and was hoping would approach me. He eventually did. We drank, got drunk, and ended up back here.

When I woke up in a strange place the next morning with no one in sight, I was terrified and curled up into a sitting fetal position, tears falling immediately. I knew what my master plan was, but I really didn't think I'd be able to go through with it. Jasper came into the bedroom and assured me that once I'd let it slip that I still had a boyfriend, he ceased all action, put me to bed, and slept on the couch. Now, what kind of man does that? The amazingly perfect man lying next to me, that's who. How lucky am I to have chosen him to go home with?

He fixed me breakfast, even after all the trouble I'd caused him, and was a perfect gentleman the entire time. Then I unintentionally caused him to have a panic attack. Apparently, I'd gotten a little too personal with one of my questions and triggered something that caused him to black out. He laughed at me for dumping water on him when he woke up, so I figured he must not have been too mad at me. Hey, it works in the movies, don't judge.

After I'd finally forced myself to leave Jasper's and went back to Edward's place, I came face-to-face with my biggest fear. I walked into our bedroom to find him plowing into his best friend and was beyond devastated. Fighting ensued, so I told him I was done with him and left. After getting into my car and driving aimlessly around Lincoln for an hour, crying the entire time, I subconsciously ended up back at Jasper's apartment.

He wasn't home when I got there, so I sat down in front of the door and continued my pity party while I waited for him to return. Twenty minutes later, he stepped off the elevator with a very tall, very tan, and very muscular man. The tall guy, who I later learned was Jake, stopped dead in his tracks and cleared his throat, getting Jasper's attention. His eyes lit up when he saw me sitting there and I couldn't help but feel wanted in that moment.

Of course, being the sweetheart that he is, he immediately got down on the floor with me to see what was wrong and Jake disappeared into the apartment next door. Once we were safely inside his apartment, Jasper continued to reassure me that I definitely didn't do anything wrong and that Edward was a damn fool to do what he did to me. He tried his hardest to make me feel better, just as he'd done that morning, and he almost succeeded in cheering me up. What I didn't understand was why he was being so nice to me after everything that happened, but he genuinely seemed to care about my happiness. I told him what happened with Edward and the tramp and then asked him to hang out. I knew I really needed to get my mind off of things and didn't have a lot of friends in Lincoln.

You see, I'd only been here since the beginning of the school year and had met Edward shortly after that. I spent all of my free time with him because he insisted on it. He was sweet and caring and catered to my needs, so I felt extremely lucky to be able to say that I was in love with such a wonderfully sexy and smart man. His best friend was female and of course I was insecure about that, but he assured me time and time again that it was just that, a friendship and nothing more. He was so romantic and his grand gestures came often and that should have been the first clue. I should have listened to my gut, but instead I ignored it. Since I was practically living with Edward already, when he suggested that I just stay with him this summer, I informed my dad that I wouldn't be coming home. Being out of school, I decided that I should get a summer job and applied around town at various department stores. I hadn't heard back from any of the places yet though.

Jasper said he would love to hang out with me and asked what I wanted to do. I was surprised because no one ever asked what I wanted to do. With Edward, it was always already planned out and therefore I never complained, even if I really didn't want to do whatever it was. We saw all the movies he wanted to see, did all the things he wanted to do, and honestly, it never really bothered me because I loved to see him smile. So it was just a nice surprise to be asked and it made me feel... I don't know, important?

I decided that I wanted to go bowling and Jasper seemed thrilled with that idea. When we got to the parking lot and I saw his car, I stopped dead in my tracks. I'm sure flies could have flown right into my mouth. It was spectacular. Silver and sleek, the most beautiful car I'd ever seen. He joked with me about how much he loved his car, calling it his "baby" and kissing the door.

Now, Jasper didn't seem like the flashy type to me, so I asked him about it and he explained very hesitantly to me that he's a dude and loves fast cars. Then he told me all about his parents' jobs and how they were pretty wealthy. I don't know why, but that instantly made me feel insecure. I'm just this broke-ass college student on scholarship and Jasper's family has all this money. I wouldn't have anything to bring to the table and it kind of made me feel like a charity case, but he instantly put me at ease about my worries.

We had a really good time bowling and I barely thought about Edward for the entire evening. There was something about being in Jasper's presence that made it easier to forget about the pain, although kicking Jasper's ass also helped a little. His aura was so calm and comforting that I couldn't help but feel relaxed. I could tell that I was gonna be in major trouble if I continued to hang out with him, because he was already starting to fill that empty space in my heart that I recently realized had slowly been developing for the past few months. I was already beginning to rely on him to bandage my emotional wounds and that couldn't be good since I'd only known him for a day and a half.

Jasper had insisted on paying because he was cheering me up which, in a way, only added to my feeling of being a charity case, but he was so genuine and sincere about it, that the worry washed away quickly. After bowling we went to dinner. Once we were back in the car, reality hit me like a ton of bricks, where was I going to live? I had no money and since I had already told Charlie that I wasn't coming home, he wasn't expecting me. I obviously couldn't go back to Edward's and Jasper immediately noticed my change in demeanor. Of course, Jasper, being the selfless, completely adorable person that he is, insisted that I stay with him until we could figure something out and promised that I was actually doing him a favor.

It got me thinking, if I was going to stay with him, I was not taking his bed away from him and I made my one condition known. He pretty much shot down my condition, being all sweet and gentlemanly, sighting the fact that I'm a lady and ladies do not sleep on the couch or the floor. So I took a much needed shower, and after remembering that all my stuff was still at Edward's, I was assured that everything was okay, we'd get it in the morning. I wore Jasper's clothes and used his shower stuff, so I smelled like him when I was done and good Lord did that make my stomach flutter. The boy even kept an extra new toothbrush in his medicine cabinet. Who does that? Apparently, he does and it worked in my favor.

I walked back into Jasper's room and there he was, finishing blowing up this gigantic air mattress on his floor with the tall, muscle dude. Jasper had his shirt off and was pumping an air pump. His muscles were even more defined than I previously thought. I had to stop the gasp that was threatening to escape from my throat and that flutter in my stomach began to beat wildly instead. He was pure gorgeousness in human form. I caught him staring at me and it made me feel, I don't know, sexy? Edward never looked at me like that anymore, I kind of felt like he just kept me around for the sex but not because he really wanted me.

I got introduced to Jacob and then he left, leaving Jasper and me to watch a movie. He picked one of my all-time favorites and half-way through the movie, I couldn't help but snuggle up to him, even if it meant just holding onto his arm and laying my head on his shoulder. I needed some sort of physical contact with him, my body was craving it. I really wanted to just jump his bones but then again, I didn't want him to think he was just some rebound thing either. I guess I needed to prove to myself that it wasn't a rebound either. Plus, there was something in his past he was hiding from me, or maybe not hiding, he just hadn't quite worked through it yet. Someone had hurt him deeply, that much I could see in his eyes and by the way he compensated his feelings by "loving" his car. I sat through the movie thinking about all this and not really paying attention.

The day had been such an emotionally draining and overwhelming one, that I let a solitary tear slip down my cheek just as the movie ended. Jasper looked at me with such heartbreak in his eyes and wiped the tear away. I had just hoped that he wouldn't ask me about it because I couldn't talk about it without dissolving into a worthless pile of human emotions. He told me to get some sleep, he'd be on the floor if I needed anything. Then he quietly slipped under the blanket on the air mattress.

I lay there thinking about everything. My whole world was crashing down on me and I felt like I was suffocating. I had different emotions coming at me from all directions. I was angry and pissed off about Edward's cheating and I also felt heartbroken and worthless from it too. I wondered if things would have been different if I hadn't gone out to fulfill my master plan that night. Would Edward have cheated again if I had been there? I also felt such hope and joy and happiness at the prospect of spending more time with Jasper, but I wouldn't even know who he was if it weren't for my master plan. So it could be my own fault that all of this is happening. If I'd never gotten drunk, I would have been at Edward's that night and not with Jasper. Edward couldn't cheat while I was there and we'd still be together. Thinking about it, I couldn't decide which was the worse scenario─being broken up with Edward, who I still loved, or not ever knowing Jasper, who I was already extremely fond of. I tossed and turned and couldn't sleep, by three o'clock in the morning I couldn't take it anymore and slipped off the bed to join Jasper, his touch was calming and I needed it. I startled him awake, explaining to him that I couldn't be alone and he just held me tightly and made me feel safe. Clinging desperately to his body, I drifted off to sleep, crying silently.

So, that's what led me up to the point of waking up still attached to his body. I knew what I had to do that day and I wasn't looking forward to it.

Jasper opened his eyes slowly and, in doing so, his grip tightened on me defensively before realizing where we were. "Hey there, beautiful, how long have you been awake?" he asked, flashing me his pearly whites.

"I don't know, maybe about fifteen minutes. I was just thinking about some things," I answered timidly.

"Whatcha thinking about darlin'?"

I physically shivered upon hearing that roll off his tongue. When he called me darlin', it did things to me that I never thought mere words could do. "I'm dreading what I have to do today and just pondering my actions from the past few days," I revealed to him, clutching him tighter and burying my face into his chest.

"Bella, all we have to do is drive to his house and pick up your things. I promise, it's going to be fine. I'll be right there with you for moral support. We'll be in and out quickly; maybe he won't even be home."

Jasper pulled me right up next to him, rolling on his side and tilting my face up to his. I could feel his breath on my cheek and it was making it extremely hard to concentrate on what I had been worrying about. What was wrong again? Edward who?

I gazed into his eyes, and as he was leaning forward I was positive he was about to kiss me. What? Kissing could lead to other things, and I just couldn't do them at that point. I wanted to so badly but it wasn't the right time, so I turned my head just as his lips connected to my cheek.

I felt sparks and electricity flowing through my body at the connection of his lips to my skin and I looked up to see the disappointment and shock of pure rejection in his eyes. It cracked another chunk off my already broken heart to see that look in his eyes. "Jasper," I whispered, "I want to kiss you so badly, I swear, but I just can't right now. I'm so sorry, you deserve better than me, than this."

"Better that what, Bella? What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?" he asked, gently stroking my arm absentmindedly, possibly trying to mask his pain.

"Jasper, I've only just broken up with my lying, cheating, douche bag of a boyfriend yesterday afternoon. I'm an emotional mess and I don't want you to be just a rebound. You're amazing and wonderful and _if_ something is going to happen between us, I think we need to start off slowly. Start by being friends and then when we are both sure that we are ready for something more, we'll make that move," I explained softly, hoping to ease some of his pain.

"I understand completely. I don't want you to feel pressured into anything, my dear. You are worth far more than that. I just can't seem to stop myself from wanting to kiss you, though," he sighed.

I matched his sigh and responded, "Jasper, you have no idea how much I want to kiss you right now. I want to give into all of my urges and have my way with you right here, right now, but if this is meant to be, I want our first time together to be special and not rushed. I don't want to get too personal, but I can see you are keeping something from me. You're still hurt by something or someone from your past and you're not over it yet, I can see it in your eyes when you are staring off into space. The pain and humiliation can't be masked when I can see into your soul. Please know that I won't push you to talk about it, but if you ever need to, I will be here for you."

His eyes began to sparkle, but I could tell that it was the light shining on the tears forming in them. "Bella..." he choked out, "I can't talk about it right now. I swear to you, I want to be able to tell you everything about it, not have any secrets but I just can't. The anxiety, the blacking out, that's what happens if I think about it. I don't think I could get through the story. I'm sorry..." he trailed off.

I felt terrible at that moment. "It's okay, Jasper. I swear I'm not pushing you, I just wanted you to know," I whispered.

He looked so horrible, his breathing was coming unevenly and I started to worry. He let go of me and I sat up quickly, but he just pressed his fingers to his temples and took a couple of deep breaths. "Jasper?" I asked softly.

"I'm okay, I promise. I just need a minute alone, alright?"

"Yes, of course, I need to go find my phone anyway. It's been off since I left Edward's yesterday and I need to check my messages," I informed him, dreading the content of those messages.

He just nodded and I got up to head into the living room. I quickly located my phone on the coffee table and powered it on. Five new text messages and three voice mails waited to be heard.

I listened to the first message. _"Bella, it's me. I'm so sorry, baby, I love you! Call me and come back home! We'll work this out! I can't lose you! Please, love! I'm sorry!" _

Yeah, like he's really sorry. Next message, _"Bella, I'm not kidding, come home! You're scaring me, where are you and what the hell are you doing?You live here so please come home! I miss you!"_

Oh yes, I could hear the insincere concern and I rolled my eyes at that thought. Last message, _"ISABELLA MARIE SWAN, I was not kidding when I told you to get your ass home! You can NOT be serious about leaving me. You need me and I need you so COME HOME NOW! We need to talk! I'm really sorry, baby, I shouldn't yell, I love you! Come home, please?"_

Okay, that's the where I drew the line. Yeah, he basically made my choice for me. I really wasn't down for the controlling, and it made me really angry that he thought he could order me around like that. He'd never raised his voice or gotten violent with me before but that wasn't a good sign for the future.

I checked all the text messages and they weren't much better. They started off sweet and sorry and became angrier as they went on. This worried me a bit but I decided to shrug it off and call him. If I was going to get my stuff, I would need to let him know so he wouldn't lock me out.

I held the phone in my hand for a moment, contemplating the choice I was making, and then dialed his number.

He answered on the first ring, "Bella, where are you?"

"That's none of your business, Edward. Are you gonna be home in a little bit? I need to come get my stuff," I replied as calmly as I could, because I didn't want my anger getting the best of me over the phone.

"Bells, you're not leaving me. You can't be serious. We need to talk so just come over and talk to me, okay?" he pleaded. My anger grew more beastly in my chest at him telling me what to do.

"I'm coming over to get my stuff, that's all there is to it. I'll be over in an hour," I said with finality in my voice and I hung up the phone before he had a chance to argue with me. It started ringing again immediately, so I shut it back off and went in to check on Jasper.

"Hey, are you okay now?" I asked softly, walking over to the edge of the bed where he was now sitting, fully dressed.

"Yes, I'm good. Thanks for asking, dear. Did you find your phone?" He looked up at me with those eyes and I started to melt.

I hesitated slightly, before answering, "Yes, I talked to Edward. I'm going to get my stuff here in just a little bit. He's already got me all worked up with his demanding tones and anger, but I need to get some answers."

I saw Jasper's hands clench up tightly into a fist when I mentioned going to see Edward. "Do you want me to go with you, to make sure that he doesn't hurt you? Maybe for moral support?"

"Jasper," I whispered, as I took his hands and looked at him sweetly, "I'm so flattered that you want to accompany me as a bodyguard and moral supporter, but this is something that I need to do on my own. Also, and please don't take this the wrong way, I really don't want Edward to know I'm staying with you. He's got connections and if he figures out where I'm staying, he's never going to leave me alone. He'll see your car, get the license number, and track us down. Plus, I honestly feel like Edward would not hurt me physically and I need the closure so that I can move on, so that _we_ can possibly move on. Does that make sense?"

He agreed almost immediately, "Yes, it does. I just wish I could make sure you are going to be okay. Will you at least promise to take your phone and call me if you do need me? That would make me feel so much better."

"Absolutely, Jasper, that would make me feel better too!"

"Great, so I'll fix us some breakfast and then you can be off, okay?"

"Awesome, I'm so hungry."

We ate breakfast quickly, because I was in a hurry to get this over and I knew Jasper was going to be anxious until I made it back safely.

I grabbed my phone and hugged Jasper good-bye. He whispered, "Please be safe!" into my ear right before I walked out the door. It gave me shivers and made me feel like I was important and special. I loved that feeling of being cared about by someone.

As soon as I pulled up to Edward's house, he ran out the front door and met me at the car. "Bella, I'm so glad you're safe. You had me so worried, where did you go yesterday? I figured you'd come home."

I pushed past him and walked into the house, ignoring his question, and headed straight up to the guest bedroom where my stuff was located.

"Bella?" he hollered at me, as he stood at the door, stunned. He quickly regained his composure and followed me upstairs.

I grabbed a bag, too pissed off to say anything, and started stuffing my clothes into it. I really didn't even care about wrinkles at that moment and I _hated _wrinkles. I was rushing around throwing anything that was mine into my bags. I avoided the questions he was throwing at me, until I turned to grab some stuff out of the closet and he pinned me up against the wall.

"Edward Masen, get off of me now! I don't want you to touch me ever again, not after what I know now. You disgust me, honestly. I loved you so much and you broke my fucking heart into pieces. It was just worse catching you in the act. I hate your guts; let me go!" I screamed, pushing him as hard as I could, knowing it wouldn't do any good as long as he wanted me pinned against that wall.

"Bella, it was a mistake. I'm sorry! You never should have walked in on that, but you were gone and I was distraught because I didn't know where you had been all night. I swear I never meant to hurt you! Give me another chance, baby, I love you!" he begged, not knowing everything I knew.

"You love me?" I screamed in disbelief, "You fucking love me? You lying piece of shit, does the name Tanya mean anything to you?"

A look of pure shock and guilt crossed his face when he realized what I had just said. "How... how do you know Tanya?" he stuttered, faltering just enough in his blocking that I slipped away from the wall and rushed to the middle of the room.

"Oh, your little slut came up to me while I was on campus to talk to my advisor about my class list for next semester. She asked me how I knew you, because she had seen me waiting for you outside your Political Science class one day. I told her that you were my boyfriend and her face fell and she muttered something about a lying pig. So I asked her what she was talking about and she told me _everything_, Edward. I know your dirty little secret and it makes me wonder just how many of those you really have, especially after catching you yesterday. You swore to me there wasn't anything going on between you two and you _lied_ to me. I can't be with you anymore because I don't trust you!" I explained, anger dripping off my words like venom. I could feel the tears about to emerge and I didn't want him to see me cry.

"Bella..." he started to say before I cut him off.

"I don't even wanna hear your excuses, Edward. Save them for your new girlfriend," I spat, grabbing more stuff and quickly throwing it in with the rest. Scanning the room, I figured that I had gotten at least all the important stuff. I grabbed my bags and stormed out of the room with them.

"Bella, come back here. Let's talk this out, please?" he cried out, following me again, like a lost little puppy.

I stopped when I got to my car and threw the bags into the back seat. I turned to face him unexpectedly after I slammed the door shut, "Edward, just answer me one question, okay?"

"Anything, I'll answer anything, Bella."

"Did you ever really love me? Did I ever really mean anything to you or was I just another pawn in your game of life chess?" I asked, tears at the surface, threatening to spill out at any moment.

"I do love you, Bella. I'm so sorry, I can't apologize enough. I don't know why I did what I did. Tanya was a serious drunken mistake and she knows it. I'm sure that's why she confronted you and spilled her guts, she was trying to get back at me because she likes me," he explained, running his fingers through his hair as he always did when he was nervous. "She doesn't mean anything to me, Bella, _you _mean everything to me. I know it's not an excuse but I was drunk and not thinking correctly."

That struck a nerve with me; could I really fault him for that? Wasn't that the reason why I was gone all night on Friday? I shook my head in defiance of my thoughts, it didn't matter. I was doing it on purpose to get back at him, the master plan, and it hadn't even worked effectively.

"I don't care, Edward, you should've said no or gone home and we wouldn't even be in this position. Do you wanna know why I was gone all night Friday?" I almost dreaded his reaction, but I wanted him to know just how far his cheating had pushed me. Plus, I felt an uncanny need to purge myself of this slightly dirty feeling I'd had since it happened.

He gulped nervously, "I don't know, do I?"

I felt weird having this conversation outside, next to my car. It made me feel all trailer-trashy and whatnot, but it was going to feel really good getting this out. "I was at a bar getting drunk, like really drunk. I had just found out about your little fling with Tanya and I was super emotional, really hurt, and extremely pissed off. I knew what would hurt you most would be to cheat on you like you did to me. I met this guy and we went back to his place."

Edward's eyes got really big and his anger erupted like a volcano, "So you cheated on me and you're standing here being all high and mighty trying to make me feel bad? I can't fucking believe you! Is that where you are staying, with your new man whore?"

"NO! Edward, I didn't cheat on you, actually. It turns out, the guy I met is a total gentleman and when he found out I had a boyfriend, which I actually still considered you at the time, he ceased all further actions and put me to bed. He then slept on his dinky, not-made-for-sleeping couch. So, even though I set out to do it, I didn't. I'm glad I didn't because I realized that's not who I am, I don't intentionally hurt the people I love. I came home to talk to you about it, when I found you in bed with _her_." The video flashback in my head was all it took for the tears to start falling.

"Bella, you were gone and I was scared. She was here to comfort me because I was freaking out, and you weren't answering my calls and I know you didn't really have anywhere else to stay. I thought something terrible had happened to you, and then we started talking about old times. It just sort of happened. I'm sorry it happened, but it's you I love, Bells. She's my best friend, but the relationship boat has sailed between us." He did sound sorry, but more importantly, he sounded desperate and pathetic.

"I've seen the way you look at her, Edward, it's not out of the harbor yet. I've always had my suspicions about how you feel about her, and I got my answer yesterday in the most unpleasant way. I realize that my actions might have been the cause of why you ended up in bed with her yesterday, but it was your actions that caused me to be gone to begin with. This is ultimately on you, Edward. You are the reason that we are no longer together."

"Bella..."

"No, let me finish, Edward. Listen to me carefully, because after I say this I'm getting in my car and leaving for good. You don't have to call me anymore, because I won't answer. This was the final straw and I am no longer looking to play the role of the fool. There's nothing left that you can say or do to change my mind and I'm not coming back. Don't look for me. I don't want to be found. I want you to stay out of my life and let me be happy because it's obvious to me now that you never cared for me the way I cared for you. You're not really sorry for what you did, you're sorry you got caught."

The tears were streaming now and I was getting angry again. I began to shout at him, effectively making us look like trailer trash, fighting on the front lawn. "I FUCKING LOVED YOU! You broke my heart into a million pieces and stomped them into oblivion. I didn't do anything but love you and give you every part of me. At some point you deemed me not good enough and stamped me 'return to sender.' Why wasn't I good enough for you, Edward?" I slumped down to the ground and sobbed, my head in my hands. "Why didn't I mean everything to you, like you did to me?"

Edward got down on the ground with me and pulled me into him, hugging me tightly and I didn't even care at that point. I needed the contact, but I realized it felt all wrong. Those weren't the arms I wanted comforting me at that moment, his presence wasn't the one I craved. "Bella, you didn't do anything wrong, I swear. It's all me, apparently I'm the world's biggest jackass. I never intended on hurting you, but hear this―I'm not giving up on you. I'll prove to you that I love you and you can be happy with me again. I will find you and bring you home, eventually. I love you too much to let you go."

"You don't love me, Edward, or you wouldn't have done what did to me. I deserve better than you, and I intend on getting it. Just leave me alone please," I whispered, pushing him away from me and hauling my ass up off the ground and dashing for the driver's door. As soon as I was safely locked inside my car, I looked up at Edward one last time and he was crying. That image tugged at my heart and I tried to convince myself that he was just putting on a show. I backed out of his driveway and left him standing there.

As I drove, I switched on the radio, trying to distract my mind. The complete opposite happened and as I listened to the song being sung by Taylor Swift, I broke down hard core.

"_I see your face in my mind as I drive away._

_'Cause none of us thought it was gonna end this way. _

_People are people and sometimes we change our minds_

_but it's killing me to have to go after all this time._

_Music starts playin' like the end of a sad movie,_

_It's the kind of ending you don't really want to see_

_'Cause it's a tragedy and it'll only bring you down_

_Now I don't know what to be without you around_

_And we know it's never simple, never easy_

_Never a clean break, no one here to save me_

_You're the only thing I know like the back of my hand. _

_And I can't breathe_

_Without you, but I have to_

_Breathe_

_Without you, but I have to_

_Never wanted this, never wanted to be hurt_

_Every little bump in the road I tried to swerve_

_People are people and sometimes it doesn't work out_

_Nothing we say is gonna save us from the fallout_

_And we know it's never simple, never easy_

_Never a clean break, no one here to save me_

_You're the only thing I know like the back of my hand. _

_And I can't breathe_

_Without you, but I have to_

_Breathe_

_Without you, but I have to_

_It's two a.m., feelin' like I just lost a friend_

_Hope you know it's not easy, easy for me_

_It's two a.m., feelin' like I just lost a friend_

_Hope you know it's not easy, easy for me_

_And we know it's never simple, never easy_

_Never a clean break, no one here to save me, oh..."_

The song fit my mood in a strange and comforting way. I was going to miss Edward, he had been my reason for existing these past nine months, but people change and he wasn't good for me anymore. The only difference is, I felt like I _did_ have someone there to save me from the fallout. Therefore, I headed straight back to the place that I felt drawn to, back to the arms I craved to be in, back to Jasper.


	6. And the Walls Fall Down

**A/N: You guys seriously are blowing my mind! :) Thanks so much for all the reviews and favorites and alerts! We've officially hit 40 reviews in 5 chapters which makes me wanna do cartwheels ;) (Well if that wouldn't cripple me cuz i'm so uncoordinated!) I love everything you guys have to say so keep it coming! Sorry it's taken me so long to get this out but I went to Oklahoma to visit my wonderful beta Coachlady1 for a week and ever since I've gotten back, life has been kicking my ass! Work is killing me so I have almost zero time to write! **

**I have to thank my most awesome beta Coachlady1 b/c she rocks my world and I swear if you haven't been to her profile, get there and read her new fic, Guarding Bella Swan! It won 2nd place in the Don't Mess W/ The Help O/S contest and she's continuing it which makes m so happy it's crazy! She is amazing so GO NOW! :)**

**Also THANKS to my beautiful, wonderful, superfantastic pre-reader Tiffaninichole for everything she suggests to make this story better! Go check out her fics, Bella's Dirty Notebook that won 2nd Place in the Best Domination Ever O/S contest and Dodgeball, and This Summer that won 2nd place in the Alternate Shippers Contest :) They are all full of hawt Jasper action and don't we all love that? (ps... those fics should've WON cuz she's just that fucking awesome)**

**Next person to thank is my newest pre-reader Handsandfingers for not being afraid to tell me exactly what the readers want to see and helping me make things more clear! They made this chapter 10 times better than I had it written! **

**I know, I know, I have to have a freaking team to make this shit make sense but in the end, you get a better story and that's all that matters, right? :) Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this chapter, as we are back to Jasper's POV and PLEASE keep the reviews coming!**

**Love you all! :)**

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Chapter 6: And the Walls Fall Down

I waited very impatiently for Bella to return, literally freaking out on the inside. I didn't honestly care if she trusted this Edward character because I didn't trust him one bit. She swore she was only going to get her stuff and get her questions answered but I was scared to death that she wasn't coming back. Why was I so scared though? That's the real question that bugged me. She wasn't my girlfriend or anything and I had only known her for a few drama-filled days. _It's 'cuz you're pussy whipped by some vagina you haven't even tapped yet. Man the fuck up and stop freaking out, you fucking wimp._

I hated feeling so protective of her already; it was frighteningly disturbing to me. It meant that I felt more for her than I wanted to admit to myself. Falling for someone again was not supposed to be in the cards for me; it hurt too bad the last time. It still hurt to think about it, which wasn't often if I could help it. _Although it's become a trending topic in the past few days and that's bullshit._

My impatience took on many forms, from pacing back and forth in front of the door to checking my cell phone a hundred times for a text message. I organized my DVD collection, by category and then alphabetically by title. After I finished that, I cranked up the music and turned on the PS3. I figured blowing up some shit might help release a little tension. _Goddamn this girl has got you so fucking keyed up that it's ridiculous. Calm the fuck down, fucker. _

I was just finishing up level nine, blowing up the last of the alien-looking motherfuckers, when the front door opened slowly. My heart started beating rapidly and a slow smile began to spread across my face, until Jake appeared on the other side of the door.

"Hey man, sorry for just walking in. I knocked but you didn't hear me over the music," he explained, as my smile retreated back to it hiding spot.

"It's all good, Jake, come on in," I replied, wrapping controller chord back up and putting it away.

"How's it going? Where's Bella?" he asked, looking around not-so-subtly and then planting his ass on my couch.

"She went to pick up her stuff at her ex-douche bag's place. I offered to go with her, but she didn't want to put me in the line of fire, or so she claimed. She said the dickhead would take my license plate number and figure out where I live, then he'd never leave us alone." I shifted uncomfortably as I stood by the coffee table.

"Oh, well, she's the expert on the asshole, so maybe it's best to trust her judgment. I know it's hard but Bella seems to be proving that she's a smart girl, Jasper. Sit down and chillax."

I let his words sink in and eventually moved over to the couch, dropping down on it exasperatedly. I knew I needed to trust Bella, but it was really hard not knowing if she was coming back. "I'm trying to trust her, Jake, I swear I am, but you know about my trust issues. It's not easy for me."

Jake looked at me with knowing eyes; he did understand. "I'm gonna head on home, got some shit to do but let me know if you need anything, okay?" he asked with concern.

"I will, Jake. Thanks," I told him, with as much gratitude as I could muster. _He truly is a good friend._ _I've had my reasons to doubt but as it turns out, some people _can_ be trusted._

"It's nothing, dude. That's what friends are for!" Jake walked to the door, turning around to give me one last reassuring smile before he disappeared out the door.

I sat there on the couch for what seemed like an hour, but in reality was only fifteen minutes, just staring at the door. I honestly had no idea why I was so worried about this. I mean, if she chose to stay with Edward, it shouldn't be any skin off of my back, right? _Wrong fucker, you're already too invested in this and you know it's gonna hurt if she doesn't show up. This is why we never should have gotten involved..._

After sitting there for so long, I couldn't take it anymore. I had to do something to keep my mind and hands busy so I decided to go into the spare room, that I'd turned into a make-shift home gym, and lift some weights. I was in the middle of my third set of reps when I heard someone chuckling behind me.

My heart started beating so hard that I thought it was going to break through my rib cage and end up splattered on the floor. I turned my head to look behind me, already knowing who was standing back there, set the weights on the floor, and stood up to face her.

"Hey there!" She greeted me, smiling widely. "You know, it's pretty sexy watching you do that, seeing ya all sweaty and stuff."

"Bella, you're back!" I said a bit too enthusiastically.

"Of course, I'm back. I told you I would be," she reminded me.

"I know, and I should've trusted that you'd be back, but I wasn't sure how you would feel seeing Edward again. I mean, I know he was a rat bastard to you, but you never know how you're gonna react the first time you see someone again."

Bella's eyes got dark and she started to look angry. "Well, I didn't really react well to seeing him again, but it wasn't happy feelings that came over me. Can we go into the living room and talk?"

"Anything you want, Bella." I quickly wiped my hands off on a towel before taking her hand in mine and leading her to the couch.

She just sat there for awhile, looking at me with a bewildered look on her face. "Before I tell you what happened, will you answer a question for me?"

"Absolutely, Bella, anything you want to know," I agreed, instantly regretting my words.

"Do you think you'll ever be ready to tell me about what happened in your past? I'm not trying to push you, but as I was driving back here I just began to wonder…"

The question caught me off guard again but this time, it didn't throb so badly when my heart flinched. "Bella, I want to be able to tell you, I've told you this. I just can't right now… I just can't." I lowered my head and asked, "What were you wondering about?"

"I like you, Jasper, a lot. When I left Edward's, my heart was crushed and I felt like dirt, but the second I thought about coming back here to you, it's like the pieces of my heart began to instantly put themselves back together.

"I know it seems crazy, but being with you is so easy, and it should be hard after everything that I've been through in the past few days. I shouldn't be ready to trust another man, but I _want_ to trust _you_ and be around _you. _It makes me wonder if you'll ever be ready to purge yourself of the past and be able to be with me, I mean, if you wanted to be." Her words were mumbled a bit at the end but it was a legitimate concern of hers.

"One day, Bella, I'll be able to tell you, but right now I'm just not strong enough. I am certain, however, that I do want to spend more time with you. Today, when I wasn't positive that you were going to come back, I went as close to clinically insane as I think is possible in a two-hour time period. I was scared shitless of how much I knew I would miss you if you didn't come back, and that frightened me even more because of what that means," I confessed hoping it wouldn't come out making me sound like a crazy person. _Even though you've thoroughly lost your mind over a fuckin' chick._

Bella scooted closer to me and took my hand in hers, squeezing it softly before she intertwined her fingers into mine. "Jasper, it makes me feel really special that you feel that way about me, especially knowing that you don't normally let anyone into your life due to your previous experience. Today was harder than I thought it was going to be, though. I kinda wish I _had_ let you come with me. I could've used the support directly after it happened." Her face fell and my heart constricted harshly at the thought that she needed me and I wasn't there for her. _Yup, it's official, you're a chick now._

"Do you want to talk about it? I mean, you don't have to but if you want to tell me, I'll listen," I assured her.

She nodded her head and began to pick at the bottom of her pant leg, where she had her leg curled up under her. I sat there with her through her pause and eventually she began to tell me the story. I was so proud of her when she told me about how she had ignored him to begin with and just pushed past him to get into the house and up to her stuff. She explained about how she had begun throwing stuff into her bags as fast as she could grab it.

When she told me about how he had pinned her up against the wall to get his questions answered, I about lost it and was seriously enraged. He should never, ever even fucking dream of treating any woman like that, but for him to do that to Bella, the woman that he'd already done enough damage to in the past few days, was downright fucking despicable. I wanted to tear him apart, limb by limb, and if he had been standing in front of me at that moment, I'd probably be in jail today for Murder in the 1st Degree.

I knew Bella could sense my rage, because she used her free hand to cup my face and said, "Jasper, I promise you that I'm okay. Edward would never physically hurt me; he just wanted me to listen to him." She was lightly stroking my cheek with her thumb as she continued, "He knows he fucked up and he's getting the punishment that he deserves. Please calm down, babe, I don't need you freaking out over this."

I listened to her soothing voice and reveled in the calming effect her touch had on me. "I'm sorry, Bella, I just hate that he touched you, in any way, when you didn't want him to. That's completely fucking unacceptable and I swear I would rip his ass into pieces and burn them if I could. I'm sorry for interrupting you, though, please continue with your story."

That's exactly what she did, describing to me how he tried to apologize and downplay it like it only happened one time. Then she pulled out the big guns when she revealed that his slut from school had approached her and told her everything. He begged for forgiveness and she let him know that she would never forgive him for what he did to her.

She nearly teared up when she recounted how she asked him to answer if he ever really loved her, or if she was just another conquest and he tried to claim that he still loved her. I could see that she was deeply wounded still by his words and actions and it was going to take a while for her to be over it.

I felt a serious surge of pleasure well up inside when she described to me how she decided to get her little piece of revenge, which I knew she so desperately wanted, by revealing to Edward what her master plan had been for that Friday night. She was really animated as she told me how she had built it up like she had gone through with it, then shoved it into his face that she couldn't do it, that she had still loved him too much to be able to go through with it. Then when she came home to find him in bed with another woman, that's when it was truly over for her.

Then, when she got to the point where she had to describe her breakdown in the front yard, I almost literally heard my heart crack for her. She had honestly, truly loved that man and he broke her down and made her feel like she was nothing. That made me want to pound his fucking face in and I didn't even know him. She broke down as she recalled the last few moments with him and I pulled her into my arms and just held her tight.

"Shhh..." I soothed as I rubbed her back, "It's okay, Bella."

She just sobbed harder into my chest. "I'm s-s-sorry, Jasper."

"Why are you sorry, Bella? Everything's going to be okay, just let it out," I told her, trying to make her feel better.

"You're being so wonderful to me and I'm bawling over someone who doesn't even deserve my tears, but it just really hurts," she cried, looking up into my eyes and I felt nothing but compassion for her. _How could you not feel bad for her? You've been there and know what this feels like, so just help her deal with it._

"Bella, I've been where you are and I know what it feels like. Please don't be sorry for feeling hurt or betrayed by someone you loved and trusted with your heart." I pulled her a little closer and whispered, "Just remember, you're worth so much more than he's ever going to be able to give you."

Bella pulled away from me and a sweet smile crossed her lips. "Jasper, I don't know why I am lucky enough to have found you Friday night, but I'm so glad I did."

We sat there in silence, except for the occasional sniffle from Bella, for a little bit, just reveling in each others' touch. Bella's phone rang which startled both of us and Bella cried out, "Shit!"

She grabbed her phone and didn't recognize the number so she sat it back on the table.

"Aren't you going to answer that?" I asked casually, wondering if it was Edward already.

"It's probably just Edward. I don't need to deal with his bullshit already," she answered simply.

Her phone then alerted her of a voicemail and she decided that it wouldn't hurt to check it. As soon as she began to listen to it, her face lit up and she started bouncing up and down.

"Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" she squealed as she hung up the phone.

"What is it, babe?" I asked curiously, but extremely grateful for the sudden change in her demeanor.

"That was Gordman's calling me back! They want me to come in for an interview tomorrow morning!" she informed me, giggling loudly.

"That's awesome, babe!" I got up and scooped her into a hug.

"I know! Now I have to decide what to wear and how to do my hair and everything!" She skipped (yes, skipped) over to her bags and started to go through them. "God, I hate wrinkles and my clothes are getting all wrinkly!"

I walked over and grabbed her bags from off the floor and carried them into the bedroom. Most of my clothes were folded in the dresser so the closet was fairly empty.

"Jasper, what are you doing with my bags?" she asked as she followed me into the bedroom.

"Well, darlin', I figured that I'd offer you the free space in the closet. This way you won't have to deal with wrinkles and you'll have a place for your stuff," I explained.

"Thanks, Jasper!" Bella started hanging up her clothes and I sat down on the bed to talk to her.

"Well, this sounds like a good reason to celebrate. What would you like to do tonight?" I asked her, while her back was still turned to me.

She whipped around quickly with a surprised look on her face, "Are you serious?"

I was suddenly concerned. This definitely wasn't the reaction that I was looking for. "Yes, is something wrong with that?"

A smile spread across her face and she replied, "No, I'm just not used to all of this attention yet."

"Well, that's just sad, Bella," I replied with a cheesy grin. "So, what do you wanna do?"

She decided that we should go miniature golfing and then out for pizza. We had a really good time together just having fun and learning more about each other. I felt freer than I had in a long time when I was with Bella. The past didn't creep in as much when we weren't talking about it, I was able to breathe easier, and things just felt good.

The wall that I had built was crumbling at lightning speed and now that I knew she was done with Edward, I wasn't as scared as I had been. I knew better than to get too attached but for some reason, my heart wasn't listening to me.

Things were simple and fun, until bedtime came around. I wasn't sure what to expect so I just got settled in on the air mattress and Bella hesitated before climbing into my bed. She turned the television off so it was dark and quiet for awhile.

She broke the silence by whispering, "Jasper..."

"Yes?"

"You don't have to... I was wondering if... Can you sleep up here?" she mumbled almost incoherently.

"I'm sorry, darlin', but I didn't hear that," I replied softly, wanting to make sure she just asked what I thought she did.

"Would you mind sleeping up here with me? Today was great but I'm afraid I'm going to end up down there with you again tonight, so I thought it would be easier and more comfortable if you just moved up here. I understand if you don't want to..." she trailed off.

I wrestled the blanket off of my legs and hauled myself up to the bed without saying a word. My heart was sailing at her request, but I didn't want to let on that I was so happy about this because I didn't want to seem insensitive.

As I settled in under the comforter, Bella immediately latched onto me and I wrapped my arms around her waist. "Thanks, Jasper," was all she said and I smiled to myself in the dark.

"Anytime, Bella."

We drifted off to sleep and I slept more peacefully that night than I had in a long time.

The next morning flew by. I called in to work and took a personal day, just because I didn't really feel like going in. I made breakfast for us while Bella showered and got ready. She looked amazing and I wished her luck before she headed off to her interview. I knew how much it meant to Bella to get a job and be able to pay for her own things and I was hoping that it worked out for her. It also made me sort of nervous to know that if Bella got the job, she may want to get her own place and then she wouldn't be around as much. _Possessive much? If it's meant to be, it will be, dumbass. Try taking the nerves down a fucking notch._

I decided to stop worrying so much and so I went to hang out with Jake. We watched some television and then went down to the basketball court and played a few games of one-on-one. I spent nearly two hours with him before I headed back home, promising him that we'd hang out again soon.

It was nearly dinnertime before Bella showed back up at the apartment. I decided to make chicken with cream of mushroom soup, rice, and mashed potatoes for dinner and was just about finished when the music I had been listening to suddenly cut off.

"Have I ever mentioned how sexy you are when you cook?"

I turned around to see Bella standing in the doorway, looking sexy as hell and grinning from ear-to-ear.

"No, I don't think so, but it's nice to be noticed," I teased. "So, what's the verdict?"

"I got the job!" she squealed as she bounced up and down. _Yeah, love it when she does that..._

"That's fantastic news, darlin'!" I exclaimed. "Looks like we're having a celebratory dinner!"

I dished out the food and set it at the table for us. As we sat down to eat, I asked Bella how everything went.

"It was fantastic. The manager, Dee, is fucking awesome. She interviewed me and we got along great from the start. She said she didn't even have to keep interviewing people because she thought I was perfect for the job," Bella began telling me, beaming as she went on.

"Then she started to show me around and introduce me to the other girls working in the clothing department. There were three of them there today, Tiffani, Meg, and Tracy. They are all seriously awesome girls and I already feel like I fit in there! Tiff is the supervisor of the department so she showed me what to do. She is so funny, always cracking jokes and commenting on the people walking by. I feel like I did nothing but laugh all day."

She stopped talking long enough to take a few bites and I used that time to butt in. "That's great, Bella! I'm so glad that you had such a good time today."

She smiled and went on with her description of her day. "The job is fairly easy and the hours are really flexible, so Dee is willing to work with me during the school year too! How awesome is that? I'm so glad to finally be able to associate with other girls and make a few friends."

"That's wonderful! I'm so happy for you!" I smiled as I answered. I really was happy for her. She seemed elated and who was I to rain on her parade?

"Tiff even gave me her cell phone number so we could make plans to go shopping sometime this week," she commented, genuinely excited.

"Nice!"

We finished up dinner and settled in on the couch for a few movies. Spending time with Bella was very fulfilling and I forgot about the world around me. I would have to head back to work the next day and it was nice knowing that Bella had something to do while I was gone, too.

After the second movie ended, Bella looked at me questioningly and said, "Jasper, I know this is kind of a silly question, but I don't know the answer."

"Ask away," I replied, smiling encouragingly.

"What kind of work do you do?" she asked, timidly.

"Oh." I laughed, glad that it wasn't something else. "I'm a web page designer at an up-and-coming company. We've done work for several businesses around Lincoln and a few statewide. The word is getting out about us and business has been picking up lately."

"That's awesome, Jasper. You'll have to show me some of the pages you've designed, later."

"I will, I promise."

Bella began to yawn and that was our cue for bedtime. We headed down the hall to the bedroom and before I got to the air mattress, I looked over at Bella and she cocked her head toward the bed. I climbed into it and Bella took her place next to me, sighing contentedly.

I was really enjoying the overnight cuddle time with Bella but it was getting increasingly harder not to push things. I'd wanted to do naughty things to her from the first night I met her and my dreams that night were vivid. _And it was fucking amazing the things that I did to Dream Bella. The way she screamed my name almost made me jizz myself in my sleep._

I woke up to find Bella had her leg hitched over my crotch and moving against me. I wasn't sure if I should move it or let it be, then she began to moan and it was too fucking sexy to stop.

"Oh, Jasper! Yes... right there..." she whispered huskily and her arms instinctively tightened around my neck.

If I hadn't already been hard as a rock, that would have done the trick. Bella was having a sex dream about me.

I tried to lie as still as I could, but she was writhing and moaning my name, crushing her thigh against my cock. Her hips began to thrust against my outer thigh and I felt like a fucking perv for enjoying this and not waking her up.

I tried to rationalize to myself that it wouldn't do either one of us any good to wake her up, and at that moment, I decided to just enjoy it.

"Fuck me, Jasper..." she whispered the words I'd been longing to hear, and I was cursing to myself that she wasn't awake so I really could.

Her moaning was becoming more intense and she was thrusting harder against me. My straining cock was tightly trapped between my stomach and Bella's creamy thigh, creating the best fucking friction. It felt better than any hand job in history and I couldn't stop myself from moving in rhythm with her.

I could feel the heat from her sweet pussy on my leg and she was fantastically wet from her dream. The sensations that all of her actions were causing to course through my body began to build up in the pit of my stomach. My breathing was becoming just as labored as hers and I knew it wouldn't be much longer for me.

"Oh God, Jasper... harder... fuck, yes..." Her words were barely above a whisper but they were echoing through my head as if they'd been said through a bullhorn.

I continued to match my movements to hers and just as she screamed, "Fuck Jasper... I'm coming!" my orgasm ripped through my body with such force that I was sure it would wake her up. I tried to be as quiet as I could but that was the most erotic thing that had ever happened to me.

Bella whimpered softly against my chest, which made my heart flutter and then she did something completely unexpected. She kissed my chest in her sleep and it was the sweetest gesture ever. I pulled her up closer to me and kissed her forehead before drifting back off to sleep. _Fuck, this girl will be the __death of me, one way or another, but what a fucking way to go._


	7. Stalkers and First Dates

**Long Ass Author's Note: Thanks so much to my lovely readers and those who review because you all got me past 50 reviews on the last chapter and it makes my heart sing! You guys are the best and I love that you are all loving my story with me! As a reward, I'm getting you this next chapter as soon as I could, which is much faster than I normally update! You guys rock!**

**The biggest thank you in the world goes out to my she-rocks-my-world-wonderful-fantastic-super-duper-uber-fuckawesome-amazing-wonderful-best-friend-in-the-world-beta Coachlady1 (I'm serious, she's amazing) Dollface, ILY so fucking much that it's just impossible to put it into words! (although I did a really good job of trying) I appreciate your help more that you know! *If you haven't read her stuff yet, what's wrong with you? Get to it peoples!***

**Next in line for spank you's, *oops I mean thank you's* is my she's-the-best-pre-reader-in-the-entire-fandom-and-she-writes-the-hottest-Jasper-sex-I've-ever-read-super-fucking-amazing-fantastic-friend Tiffaninichole (srsly, she rocks!) She's made suggestions that rock this fic to it's core! Without her, it'd be pure shit for realz yo! (Dodgeball: it's her super hawt Jasper sexin fic that needs to be read... in the latest chapter there's squirting... need I say more? GO!)**

**Last, but certainly NEVER EVER least, on my thank u list is my newest she's-the-muther-fucking-shit-should-be-professional-because-that's-how-awesome-her-suggetions-are-tell-it-like-it-is-so-this-fic-doesn't-suck-donkey-balls pre-reader, Handsandfingers... yup, that's right y'all, be jealous that I get to revel in the excellence that is her suggestions for this fic! She's the fucking bomb shit yo :) (yeah ILY so much I went all gansta on yo ass) *and I'm a nerdy white girl* (sends loads of nekkid jax and RP thoughts your way)**

**Major, monster huggles, loves, and gropes go out to OhPenelope5446 for being my 50th review! She rocks my world and is one of my twitter lovahs! Thanks love!**

**Next item on the agenda (HEY! I warned you that this was going to be a Long Ass Author's Note) Voting is open for the Through the Lens Anonymous Contest in which I have an entry, but seeing as how it's anonymous... I can't tell you which one is mine! Please head on over there and read the great fics that are there and vote for the one you like the best!**

**Just remove all the spaces and it should get you there! h t t p : / www . fanfiction . net/u/2423173/ Through The Lens Anonymous Contest**

**One more thing... there's this fic that has been ruling my world. If you like boy/boy slash that happens to involve Jasper/Edward/spanking you HAVE to read it! It's called Raw and Rosy and is written by TuesdayMidnight and you can find it in my favorites... :) Seriously... *Gah! Panties explosion just thinking about it***

**This should conclude the longest author's note I've ever written! I hope you enjoy this next chapter and for those of you who have Alerted/Favorited me and haven't left a review :) Please do! I really would love to hear what you think about this! I love you guys! You all rock my world! Also, you should leave praise for my master beta and my pre-readers because they are responsible for the greatness about to come! Now... enjoy! **

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Chapter 7: Stalkers and First Dates

The next week flew by without anything too exciting happening. Bella and I fell into a really comfortable routine, waking up together in bed then having breakfast before we both headed off to work. After work, we'd meet up and have dinner, either at home or out somewhere. It felt like we had been together for a long time, but in reality, we weren't even technically dating, yet.

I knew I was exposing too much of my heart to her, but I couldn't stop myself. There was something about being with her that made me feel okay again, and a part of me was extremely relieved to find out that I hadn't, in fact, been completely scarred for life. The other part of me was still positively terrified of getting hurt again, but it was being shoved farther and farther down.

When I got off work that Monday night, I went home like usual and started dinner. I was halfway done with boiling the spaghetti noodles when my phone rang.

I picked it up and pressed the "talk" button, "Hello, sweetie, what's up?"

"Jasper, uhm... I think I'm being followed," Bella told me, her voice laced with panic.

"Followed?" I questioned. "What makes you think that?"

"Well, when Meg and I were walking to our cars after work, I noticed this strange green car parked in the employee section with someone sitting in it reading a book, although I didn't really think anything of it. Then after I said bye to Meg and pulled out of the parking lot, the car was right behind me. He's trying to be casual about it but I've taken a lot of turns I wouldn't normally take and he's still behind me," she explained, her voice wavering.

I was so completely infuriated as Bella explained what was going on and I immediately knew that Edward had something to do with it. It blew my fucking mind that he would stoop to something so low as to scare the hell out of Bella by having her followed. Hadn't he done enough fucking damage to her?_ I'm gonna beat the ever-loving shit out of him if I ever come within fifty feet of his ass. He better hope that never happens 'cuz it'll be brutal._

"Bella, listen to me carefully. I need you to pull into a store parking lot with a lot of people and cars in it and then get out of the car and go into the store. Lock your doors and turn the car alarm on. I'm gonna get Jake and we'll be there to pick you up in fifteen minutes. Watch for us and please be careful, Bella. This ex-douchecock of yours is really something else, isn't he?" I asked, after telling her what to do.

I was already running out my door and pounding on Jake's before Bella could answer.

"Yeah, seems as though he _is_ crazy," she replied. "I'm back at Target on 48th okay?"

"'Kay, babe. We'll be right there," I told her and hung up the phone just as Jake answered the door.

"Hey, Jake. Look, I don't have time to explain but I need you to drive me to get Bella, my car is too conspicuous," I rushed, practically pulling him out his door.

"Alright," he agreed without question, grabbing his keys off the hook by his door. "Where are we headed?"

We all but ran to the parking garage, jumped in his car and sped off. I filled him in on the situation and he was ready to kick some douchecock ass too!

As soon as we got to the Target parking lot, I called Bella to let her know we were there. She ran out to the car and got in, handing her keys to me.

"I'm so glad to see you guys," she practically screamed as she sank down in the backseat in relief.

"I'm just glad you're okay; I was so worried. I'm gonna take your car home and Jake will drive you back. The idiot that was following you wouldn't dare to fuck with me. I'm too keyed up to care if I kill someone today." Okay, so I might have still been seething at that point, although I was really fucking glad that Bella was safe.

Bella reached up and put her hand on my shoulder, I knew she was trying to calm me down. "Jasper, don't go getting yourself in trouble. I just want to go home..."

I smiled because she said "home" and not "your place" which, for something so minute, made my fucking day. "Yeah, let's go home, I'll meet you there."

I got out of Jake's car and made my way to Bella's. I got in and drove straight home, with no sightings of the creepy stalker car.

Once we were both home, Bella just sat on the couch for a while staring at the television. She wasn't really paying attention. I could tell there was something else going on inside that little mind of hers.

I had gone into the spare room to hit the weights, hoping to work off some of the anger and aggression I was still feeling toward that psychotic asshole for putting Bella through this. I really didn't want to end up being short with her because of that idiot.

After I was done and had showered, I went out to the living room to see that Bella had fallen asleep on the couch. She was pretty damn adorable when she slept, but I knew she was going to be hungry if I didn't wake her up.

I shook her lightly, "Bella, time to get up. You need to eat."

Her eyes opened and she groaned, "Ughhh..." _What I wouldn't give to be doing other thing to make her make that noise..._

"I'm serious, sug', get up. I tried to make spaghetti but that's ruined now." _Thanks to that __fucking dickhead__…_

"That's okay, Jasper. Can we just order pizza instead?" she asked sleepily.

"Yeah, that's fine." I answered.

We ate and watched a movie, just trying to relax after the events of the day. We had also worked out a plan to have Jake take Bella to work in the morning. She had called her friend Tiff and asked if she would be able to bring her home from work, after she had briefly explained the situation. Her friend was really cool about the whole thing and I'm pretty sure I heard her call Edward a dick muncher, which made me chuckle.

This went on for a few days, with no further stalker incidents so Bella insisted on driving herself to work Friday. I was nervous but she wanted to get back to a sense of normalcy and I could definitely understand that.

When she got home Friday night, I was already showered since I'd gotten off a few hours early. I figured it was about time that Bella and I went out on a real date and not just the casual hangout sessions we'd been doing. _Yup, 'bout time __your balls decided to grow back. 'W__as getting a bit sick of the pussy you were turning into._

She was carrying a rather large bouquet of flowers and had a huge smile on her face when she walked through the door. _Where the fuck did those come from?_

"Jasper, did you send me flowers at work?" she asked coyly. _Oh__, God, she thinks they'__re from you. This is gonna make you look like a fool._

I took a deep breath, before replying. "Nope, those aren't from me, Bella, I'm sorry."

It took her a minute for the realization to sink in "Oh" was all she managed to choke out before she chucked the flowers in the garbage.

Her eye grew sad and she sorta looked like she was gonna cry. "Bella, what's wrong? I'm sorry that they aren't from me..." I started to say before she cut me off.

"Why the fuck won't he just leave me alone?" she screamed to no one in particular. "I just want to be happy and he's making my life miserable."

I walked over and engulfed her in a tight hug. "I don't know why he's doing this but I swear I won't let him hurt you, Bella."

"Can't you see, Jasper? He's still hurting me by not letting me go and reminding me of his presence every fucking day," she whispered with a bit of force.

"Do you still wanna go out tonight or would you rather not?" I asked, really hoping she wanted to go.

She pulled away and looked up at me. "Are you being serious? I'm not letting that psycho ruin our first real date; he's done enough damage to my life. I'm gonna go get ready, okay?"

My eyes lit up at her confession and I let her go.

Less than an hour later, Bella was standing in front of me, looking more amazing than ever in a simple pale yellow strapless tank and a pair of hip-hugger jeans. My stomach fluttered as I gazed up and down her body. There was something about this girl and I couldn't put my finger on it, but she made me feel things I wasn't supposed to feel. _Seriously? Stomach fluttering? I guess we're going back to pussy land..._

"Wow, Bella! You look amazing," I praised, as I took her hand in mine.

"Thanks, Jasper. Are you ready to go? I've been waiting for this since you asked me." She smiled shyly at me.

I grinned like a fool because apparently Bella was as excited about the date as I was. "Let's go!"

Once we got to the restaurant, I parked my car―which Bella had insisted that we take. We went inside and were immediately seated in one of their small half-circle booths, designed to let you sit next to your date and not across from them. _Yeah, this shit is fancy._

The lighting in the restaurant was dim and there were candles lit on the tables and shelves. The mood was very romantic and I was determined to make this a great date for us.

"So, Bella, what would you like to do when you get out of school?" I asked, as I let my hand rest on her thigh. _The very thigh that been so up-close and personal with my dick just a week ago. _

She shivered involuntarily as I lightly rubbed circles where my fingers rested. Seeming a bit nervous, she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, which made my dick twitch. It was so sexy and I really wanted to be the one with her lip in my mouth. _Yeah, among other things you wanna put in her mouth..._

She released the lip that she had taken captive and sighed. "I'm not exactly sure, I mean, I know I want to work with underprivileged children. Maybe as a child psychologist or youth pre-teen counselor. I'm so undecided right now." _She wants to help kids; that's admirable. I just want to fuck her senseless, over and over and over._

I grinned devilishly at my inner dialogue. "That's okay, Bella. No one ever said that you had to be completely sure of your career while you're in college," I assured her, moving my hand just a little closer to the promised land. She gasped lightly at my touch and her lips curled into the sexiest smile ever.

Trying to keep the conversation on topic and digging for a bit more information, I asked, "Do you plan on staying in Lincoln or do you want to go back to Washington?" _Please say Lincoln... but I could follow that sexy ass to Washington if I had to. Oh, yes, how sexy it is..._

"I don't know. I guess it depends on how much I have _invested_ here..." she answered, then laughed evilly.

"Well, if I have anything to say about it, you'll have a lot _invested_ here." I flashed her my wicked half-smile, knowing it kinda made her crazy.

She blushed immediately and I got the look I was hoping for. That satisfied me. _For now... I hope to be fully satisfied later... Oh, yes... it will happen. _

The waitress came and took our orders and then promised the food would be out shortly.

"This place is so nice," Bella commented as she leaned into my body. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and she fit there under my arm so perfectly.

"I know. I've always wanted to come here, but with the whole romantic setting there was never really a reason to come. You've given me the perfect opportunity," I told her, beaming with contentment at having her so close to me in public. _And later I'll have her closer in private._

Her eyes got wide and she gasped just as she took a drink, nearly choking on it. "What is it, Bella?" I asked, concerned.

"Are you seriously telling me you haven't brought any dates here, ever?" she asked, surprise and curiosity lacing her voice.

"Bella, after it all happened, I just didn't date. I mean, of course there were a few girls here and there, but it was just sex. So, yes, that's seriously what I'm telling you," I stated matter-of-factly, with no emotion in my voice.

"Wow..." was all she replied.

We continued to wait for our food and I kept noticing this sly little smile slide across her face every so often.

"What's making you smile like that, Bella?" I wondered out loud.

She hesitated before answering. "I just feel special that you actually asked me out on a date, especially if this is the first one you've been on since..." she trailed off.

"It's okay, Bella. It still stings but the pain is much easier to handle when you're around," I revealed.

Bella got up to use the restroom, and as I sat there waiting for her, I happened to glance up at the door when I heard it open and my heart about exploded. "Oh, my God..." I whispered to myself. _This isn't happening... not tonight! Why the fuck is this happening?_

Apparently, the gods hated me because they were hell-bent on ruining my night. Standing in the door were the two people in the world that I had never wanted to see again in my life. My heart was racing and I began to shake angrily; the memories flooded back easily at the sight of them. I was desperately hoping they wouldn't notice me but I knew I was in their direct line of sight. I'd wanted to bolt out the door but I knew I had to wait for Bella to get back. _Plus, that's the fucking chicken's way out. Don't let them know their presence is getting to you. Act indifferent..._

Things got even worse when the cocky bastard walked over to my table_. _"Jasper fucking Whitlock, is that really you?"

"What the fuck do you want, Eddie?" I growled, gritting my teeth so as not to make a scene.

"Awww... don't be like that. It's been so long," he said, grinning like he the asshole he was.

I glared at him, hoping I wasn't showing just how incredibly close to breaking down that I was. "Not long enough," I hissed through my clenched teeth. _If I'd never seen him again, it would have been too soon, fucking bastard._

"What are you doing here?" he asked, like he was actually interested.

"I'm waiting on my date to get back from the restroom so we can enjoy our meal."

I knew _she_ was standing behind him but I couldn't stand to look at her.

"So, our little Jasper is on a date, huh?" he stated in his most patronizing voice. _Of course, this would have to happen on the first date I've managed to go on since..._

"Listen, Eddie..." I began just as Bella walked around the corner and deadpanned.

"What the fuck are YOU doing here?" she screamed and everyone in the restaurant turned to look at us. _Wait... what? She knows him?_

"Wait a minute..." I whispered to Bella, looking into her eyes for a moment. The seriously frightened look in her eyes combined with one simple nod caused a chain reaction of thoughts in my head. Bella knew Eddie. Eddie was Edward, which meant that _she_ was the object of Bella's pain too. _Jesus fucking Christ... small world anyone?_

"Bella," he said softly as he stepped forward and reached out to touch her. She flinched away from him and that's when I fucking lost it.

I stood up and put myself between Bella and the assmuncher. "What the fuck makes you think you can touch my date? Haven't you fucking stolen enough from me?" I shouted, anger rising from the pit of my stomach and I was seeing red. My fists clenched up at my sides and it was taking every ounce of strength I had not to beat that motherfucker to a bloody fucking pulp in a restaurant full of witnesses.

That's when _she _decided to speak. "Jas..." she said softly, with tears and sorrow in her eyes. "Please..."

I couldn't fucking believe she had the nerve to call me that or even try talking to me. "Don't..." I hissed angrily, "Just fucking don't..." _This seriously can't be happening to me. Is this seriously fucking happening?_

She stopped talking but reached out to touch my arm. "Don't you fucking DARE touch me," I screamed, yanking my arm away hastily, not giving a fuck if I was making a scene.

Edward took another step forward, glaring at me. "How dare you..." he started to say.

I was so fucking pissed off at the entire situation that my right fist pulled back on it's own accord and slammed right into his eye.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" he screamed as he grabbed his eye.

"That's for every-_fucking_-thing you did to hurt Bella, you rotten piece of shit," I growled at him. "You better fucking leave her alone or you'll pay for it."

He swung at me and I swerved to miss it, coming back at him with a left hook to the gut that had him doubled over in pain. "And that's for ruining my goddamned life for the past four years..."

The manager took that moment to quickly make his way over to where we were standing. "What is going on over here? Is there a problem?" he asked me.

"No, sir, my beautiful date and I were just leaving. Our dinner has obviously been ruined by these imbeciles." I smiled at him as sweetly as I could and turned to Bella, "Are you ready to go, darlin'?"

"Absolutely." She smiled back at me, took my arm, and we calmly exited the restaurant. Although, calm was the furthest emotion from my system at the moment._ The idiot needs to be leaving that restaurant on a fucking stretcher. _

As soon as we were safely in the car, I sank back into the seat and buried my head into my hands.

"FUCKING CHRIST!" I shouted and punched the steering wheel.

I knew Bella wanted to know what the fuck that was all about and I damn sure had questions for her, but I had to remove myself from the situation before I broke down in front of the woman I was trying to impress._ Just don't fucking lose it in front of Bella again. Keep it together and just fucking breathe. _

I drove us straight home and realized that tonight would be the night I would have to finally tell Bella what happened.

I was ready for it to be over already; I could do it, right? _Let'__s fucking hope so._


	8. Revealing the Past

**A/N: You all amaze me more and more every chapter! I love that you guys are liking the story and that you are feeling so much emotion toward what's happening. It makes me feel so good and pushes me to get updates out faster for you! I love you all so much for the reviews that you leave me and it makes me so happy! **

**As always, I need to thank my fucking fantastic and super fucking hot beta, Coachlady1 she owns my heart and for that I will always love her :) She makes this readable and fixes all my comma mistakes! Be jealous that you can't have her... she belongs to Tiffaninichole and myself!**

**The next person I need to thank is the beautiful Tiffaninichole herself. She's the most fuckawesome pre-reader you will ever find. She had a serious hand in shaping this chapter into something that was more than just rambling lameness :) She is pure mutha-fucking genius and she owns my soul and rocks my world, plus she gives the best gropes and who wouldn't love that? **

**So … Tiff wrote this majorly awesome one shot for the slash/backslash contest and I am here to help her shamelessly plug it! She's funny as hell and so is her story. Also, goddamn it there's Edward/Jasper buttsecks. Now I know this isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I drink that shit up! So if you do like that sort of thing... please check it out and review b/c she loves them reviews! **

**Go here: http : / www . fanfiction . net/s/ 6229960/1/ OPERATION_Breakup (remember to remove all the spaces so you can get there) She really is the best.**

**Next thing, I have to apologize to Handsandfingers b/c she was MIA when I finished this chapter and I was so eager to get it out to you all, she didn't get to pre-read it this time, although her services will be back and better than ever for the next chapter! I swear on all that is holy, like Jasper's peen and the E/J buttsecks that I love so much! (I know I'm a perv, get used to it)**

**Thus ends this Author's Note, but remember to please review and let me know what you think! You all make me so happy! **

* * *

Chapter 8: Revealing the Past

Bella was quiet the entire ride home although her fists were clenched and I could tell she wanted to say something. She kept side glancing at me, just as I was doing to her and the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife

I could hear her angry breathing, and I wasn't sure if it was geared towards me or the assmuching dickface that had ruined my first date with her.

My car doesn't know how to go slow, so it only took ten minutes to drive back to the apartment. Thank God there were no fucking cops out tonight.

I got out of the car and Bella just stayed in her seat. It appeared that she was giving herself a bit of a pep talk or trying to talk herself out of doing something. I couldn't be sure, so I walked over to the passenger side and opened her door for her.

"Thanks," she said flatly, as she got out of the car. _What the fuck?_

I began to walk toward the elevator and Bella quickly caught up, twirling me around and hugging herself tightly to my chest. It caught me by surprise, yet it made me feel so much better. Her fingers dug into my back as she desperately clung to me, trying to pull me closer. _Much better._

"Bella, as good as it feels to be so close to you, I'd prefer it if we were in the privacy of our four walls," I whispered, kissing the crook of her neck gently.

"Okay," she agreed slowly, shivering when my lips made contact with her skin.

She wrapped one arm around my waist and leaned into me as we walked. She used her other hand to lace her fingers through mine, never losing contact with my skin. There was something that felt like an electric current flowing between our bodies at that moment.

As soon as we'd made it into the apartment, Bella pushed me up against the door and kissed me aggressively. Her lips ravished mine as she melted into me, biting at my lower lip, which caused me to let out a guttural moan. I couldn't help but respond to her kiss because I'd wanted to do this for so long. I opened my mouth slightly and her tongue plunged inside, moving everywhere at once. _God, where did this dominant side come from? I'm surely not complaining..._

My hands flew to her ass and I lifted her easily. She automatically wrapped her legs around me and I turned around so it was now Bella who was pushed up against the wall. My dick was hard as hell and aching for release as our actions were causing MJ to get up close and personal with that sweet pussy of hers, even if it was through her jeans. _Fuck, what__ are we doing? God__damn, this is not the time... When did I really turn into such a fucking girl?_

"Bella," I whispered as I pulled away slowly, "As much as I _really _want to continue this, and believe me I do..." I placed another smaller, slower kiss on her lips to assure her. "We need to stop. This is not how it's supposed to happen. I refuse to let that pretentious douchecanoe ruin another first for us."

Bella groaned in disapproval at my stopping. I knew we both needed to release some tension, but this was not the right way to do it. At least not yet.

"I'm sorry, Bella, but I really don't want our first time together to be connected to that assmuncher in any way," I explained, trying to get my breathing back to normal.

Bella smiled at me timidly and nodded her head, but didn't say anything. She planted her feet back on the floor and just stood there for a minute.

I was beginning to wonder if she was mad at me for stopping us, when she sighed deeply and then said, "You're right, I don't want him to taint this moment for us either."

She walked over to the couch dejectedly and sat down, looking at me expectantly. So I moved to the couch to sit down next to her.

"Jasper, I'm so sorry that those two ruined our night for us... but can you tell me how you know them?" she asked softly.

I took a long, deep breath and replied, "Yes, Bella, I don't think I have a choice anymore." _Fan-fucking-tastic..._

I took her hands in mine and gripped them firmly. I was going to need the contact to get through this.

"It all started back when I was in high school. Eddie was my toughest competition from sports to academics; we were always competing to be the best. But despite that, we eventually became best friends who did everything together—studying, working out, practicing sports, everything. We pushed ourselves to be better, which made the other person better."

"So, he was more than just some asshole you knew?" she questioned, sympathy evident on her face.

I closed my eyes momentarily and just nodded my head once, I think she got it.

"We were as close as two guys can get without being deemed "gay" by other people." I chuckled. "So when I met a new girl at the end of junior year, Eddie was really happy for me. The three of us hung out a lot, but of course, the time that Eddie and I spent together dwindled a bit. I mean, isn't that normal when you have a girlfriend?" I realized that came out as a question and waited for Bella to answer.

"I'd say so."

I smiled at her for being on my side. "Anyway, as my relationship grew, Eddie and I grew apart. We made it through high school and graduated top of the class. I was Valedictorian which pissed him off, because that's just how we were. "

Bella beamed when I mentioned that, and it made me feel good that she seemed proud of me. I really wanted to impress her still, even though our date had been ruined.

"The summer before we started college, we hung out less and less because Eddie stopped calling to hang out and never answered when I called him. When I did get him, he claimed he was busy. He was heading off to the University of Texas to play football, where I had decided to stay in Lincoln and play basketball.

"Even though I missed my best friend terribly, my relationship was wonderful. We were in love and it was getting really serious. She was the only thing that kept me from flying off the handle at Edward. She was constantly on his side about things when I would complain and told me to just cut him some slack because that's what best friends were for."

"Yeah, some great friends they turned out to be..." Bella snidely remarked and I chuckled, even though the memories that were flowing freely through my brain at that moment were tugging painfully at my chest. I knew I needed to make it through the conversation without breaking down because it would help me finally be done with the secrecy between Bella and myself.

"I know, right?"

Bella took that moment to hug me. It wasn't a pity hug, though, it was filled with something much more than that and I felt beyond content at holding her in my arms.

"Sorry, I know this is painful for you, Jasper. I just wanted you to know that I'm here for you and I'm not going to hurt you," Bella said, explaining the unexpected hug. "Please, continue."

"I had purchased a ring and was planning on proposing, but I needed my best friend's advice. The night before Edward had to leave for Texas, I headed over to his house, determined to make him talk to me. When I got there, his mom told me he was in his room and to go on up. That was the worst mistake I ever made." I winced at the memory that I knew was coming next and Bella sensed it because she squeezed my hand tight in a reassuring manner.

"I knocked once and then opened the door to find Edward having sex with _my _girlfriend in _his_ bed. She couldn't even look at me while Edward was just smirking at me like the asshole he truly is. I took out the ring and threw it at them. She looked at me with the same look she had on her face tonight at the restaurant and I turned and ran out of the room.

"Looking back now, I probably should have stayed and beaten the shit out of Edward, but, Bella, my heart was demolished. I mean, there was no fight left in me. I had to get out of there before either one of them could see me break out into tears. I know it makes me look all girly and weak but hey, it's what happened."

"Wow, some things never change, huh?" she asked, knowing exactly how I felt. "Or some people, I should say."

"Nope, doesn't seem like it."

"So, that's what happened to you to make you all anti-love and relationship?"

"Yeah... that's what happened. I went home and vowed never to let another girl have that kind of power over me again. I'd never, ever wanted to feel like that ever again. It was too painful and it made me sick. The tramp tried to call me several times but I ignored all of her calls. I spent an entire week holed up in my room before Emmett came in and kicked my ass back into the real world.

"I began to drink a lot and kept to myself. Once college started, I just stuck to studying and basketball. Thanks to Dad's money, I had a room to myself and didn't have to deal with roommates. And once I turned twenty-one, I hit the bars―that's where the random sex came into play. Junior year of college, I moved into this apartment and met Jake. It took a long time for me to build up any sort of trust with him, but eventually we became friends. He's the only real friend I have, besides you, and Eddie is the reason why."

"Jasper, I'm so sorry that he did that kind of damage to you. Apparently, he's still an evil, malicious person who shouldn't be allowed to be around people. He'll make an excellent politician..." Bella giggled at her last statement.

"That he will..." I agreed. _A stupid, bloodsucking, greedy, piece of shit politician._

Bella just looked at me with sad eyes for a minute. "So, you never talked to Edward again after that night that you walked in on them?"

"Nope, but I found out through the grapevine that she had been cheating on me with him for nearly a year. I figured that must have been why he got so distant with me. If I wasn't around too much, he wouldn't get caught." _That's the part that hurt the most, that bastard was my friend, how the fuck could he do that to me?_

"Oh, Jasper, that's awful. I know how it feels to find out both ways, too. That's how I found out from Tanya about his cheating ass and then from walking in on him drilling her." She looked sad at that point and I knew she really didn't want to talk about it anymore.

"I never talked to either one of them, again. I held so much hostility toward them that I lost it when I saw them tonight. And when I realized he was the douchefucker who had caused you all that pain, I seriously saw red. I'm sorry for losing my temper in front of you like that; you looked so scared and I couldn't stand the thought of him touching you again!"

Bella nodded in agreement with me. "I was shocked as hell when I walked around the corner to see them standing there, but I just thought that they were there to harass me; I had no idea that you knew them or that they were connected to your past. That had to be painful and I'm really sorry you had to go through that tonight."

"It was probably better this way, no more secrecy. Hopefully, this means I can push all that crap out of the way and be free to move forward with you, Bella. I _want _to move forward with _you._" I confirmed my confession with a firm kiss on Bella's warm, beautiful lips. _I loved this whole kissing thing. Yes, I could definitely get used to more kissing._

"I want to move forward with you too, Jasper. I think maybe things had to happen this way for us to meet each other, but I'm just happy we did. Do you have any regrets?" she asked me seriously, imploring me with her eyes.

I did have one regret, but I wasn't sure if I should tell her because I didn't want to make her feel bad. Apparently Bella is perceptive as hell, because she called me on it. "Jasper, what is it? I can see your wheels turning..."

"It's just... I don't know..." I stuttered, searching for the right way to say this.

"Come on, Jasper, whatever it is, you can just tell me. It can't be that bad."

"The only regret I have is not confronting them to find out why they did what they did to me. Edward went off to school and she followed him, from what I heard. They never contacted me again and at the time, I was so relieved not to have to see them. My heart was too far gone at that point, but now, after seeing them both again tonight, I have so many questions. I don't know, it's so stupid because it happened so long ago," I revealed, nervous and anxious at once.

Bella sat quietly for several minutes, absentmindedly playing with my fingers. I knew it was a big revelation, so I let her dwell. After what seemed like an eternity, Bella responded, "I think you should do it."

_Wait... what? Are you serious?_ "You think I should do what?"

"I think you should talk to her and get your questions answered. I know I needed the closure with Edward to be able to push past it and I think you need that too. I want to move forward with you, Jasper, and I don't think we're going to be able to until you talk to her." _Oh my fucking God, you can't be serious._

"So, let me get this straight. You want me to go out and talk to my ex-girlfriend, the woman who had a hand in breaking my heart and yours? You're seriously okay with that?" I asked incredulously. _Is this woman for real?_

"I don't trust her as far as I can throw her, Jasper, but I do trust you. I know what it's like and I know you need this to move on. So, yes, I'm seriously okay with this..." _Yup, seriously fucking Wonder Woman._

I leaned in to kiss her again and she kissed me back, her arms automatically wrapped around my neck while her hands took their place buried in my hair. My arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to me. _God, kissing this woman is the most amazing feeling ever._

Bella pulled away to breathe and just laid her head on my shoulder, hugging herself to my chest. "This is perfect," she whispered. "Thank you for sharing your story with me_..._"

I smiled against her hair and whispered back, "Thank you for being so patient with me."

Silence filled the air for longer than I could tell you and I was just reveling in the comfort of Bella's embrace.

"Jasper," she said softly, "that was really sexy when you punched Edward in the face, defending my honor. I just thought you should know."

I grinned like a fool. "It felt pretty good, that's for sure. I'd do it again in a heartbeat for you, too. I care about you..."

I felt her lips curl into a smile against my chest. We cuddled on the couch for a while longer, just chatting back and forth and then we ended up going to bed. Bella had to work the next morning, and I had to figure out how I was going to set up a meeting with the woman who had torn my heart to pieces. _This is g__oing to be interesting..._

She took her usual spot buried in my side and I thought she'd fallen asleep once her breathing had evened out and became almost hypnotic.

"Jasper?"

Bella's voice was soft as I felt her lips move against my chest.

"Hmmm?"

"Do you think you'd still be with her if you hadn't caught them?"

I thought about it for a few seconds, as I ran my fingers through Bella's hair, marveling at how she'd affected me so deeply in the past few days. And I answered honestly.

"No, I don't. I think we would have eventually parted ways. Maria and I simply weren't meant to be."


	9. Girl's Night

**A/N: Thanks again so much for all the great feedback that you have given me :) You got me to over 75 reviews and that makes my heart super happy! This chapter is written from Bella's POV and is just a fun and lighthearted relief from the heart wrenching drama I've been putting our beloved Jasper through! I hope you all like it... The girls from work are written based off my wonderful twitter friends whom I love very much! They make my day so much better whenever I talk to them and am having a bad day! I love you ladies so much!**

**Thank you's will be quick this week! My super amazing and wonderful beta Coachlady1 who rocks my world every day! She's definitely one of my very best friends and the best person you could hope to know!**

**My fan-fuckin-tastic pre-readers Tiffaninichole and Handsandfingers deserve at least half the credit for making this chapter as amazing as it is :) (PS- I'm still really sorry Tiff :) I hope you won't hate me forever hehe you know what I mean) I love you girls with my whole heart! **

**The Slash Backslash Awards are going on so go check out Tiff's entry called Operation: Breakup :) There are also a ton of other really great entries so get to voting :) ALSO, the Single Shot Awards are open for voting so go vote for the collaboration between Tiffaninichole and KittyCullen for Best Lemon for their entry Three's Company and for my girl Savannah_Vee for her entry That Night. Both stories rock and deserve to win :) **

**This is a shorter than normal A/N so enjoy :) I hope you enjoy the chapter and love my girls as much as I do :) Please don't forget to review :) 3**

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Chapter 9: Girl's Night Out

BPOV

The morning after my disastrous first date with Jasper, I woke up to an empty bed. Instantly, I began to panic. I mean, I knew that Jasper couldn't have gone far, this being his place and all, but it still made me uneasy not knowing where he was or how long he'd been gone.

The night before was just plain full of fuckery. The whole ordeal with the confrontation at the restaurant would have been enough to scare off any regular date, but add to that the fact that those two were the source of the pain and suffering he'd gone through for the past four years and you have one emotionally draining night. I hoped he wasn't having second thoughts about us.

I thought back to my favorite part of the night, well, there were two parts that actually rocked, but the part I was initially referring to was when Jasper punched Edward in the face and threatened his two-timing ass.

The thought of his defending my honor in such a manly, sexy-as-fuck way made me smile so hard. The other part that kicked ass was how Jasper was now freely kissing me, not holding back anymore. I could get used to that so fast; I love kissing that man.

I figured it was time to get up and go find him. I rolled out of bed and ran my fingers through the mess that was my hair, trying to manage it a little.

I made it out into the hallway before I heard the clanking metal of the weights in the spare room. I'd come to realize that whenever Jasper felt he needed to release some tension, he hit the weights. I mean, I wasn't complaining or anything because the weights definitely did his body good, so I decided to shower instead.

When I finished my shower, Jasper was back in the bedroom.

"Hey, baby," he greeted me, pulling me into his arms.

I hugged him back, taking in the scent of pure Jasper. They should bottle that shit and sell it, because there's nothing better.

"Heya, handsome," I replied, as I held myself to his chest. I quickly realized that there was nothing between us but a thin towel and a pair of gym shorts.

He lifted my chin up with his finger and placed a small, sweet kiss on my lips. My stomach did a flip and I giggled.

His lips curled into that smirk that makes him so completely irresistible to me. "So my kisses make you giggle now, huh?"

"No, they just make me feel special, Jasper. I can't help it," I answered him, before pulling his face back down to mine for another kiss.

We stood there like that for a few minutes before Jasper broke our connection, "Bella, I _really_ need to get into the shower and you should put some clothes on or I can't be held responsible for my actions." He smirked at me knowingly and kissed my forehead lightly before turning for the shower.

I dressed for work in a hurry and decided to make breakfast before I had to leave for work.

After I ate and left a note for Jasper, telling him the rest of the food was his and I'd be home later, I headed to work.

I loved my job and the girls I worked with were extremely fuckawesome. It was nice to have friends again. The only real girlfriend I'd ever had was back in Forks. I missed Alice terribly.

Once I got to work and got clocked in, I went to my department to find Tiff and see what I was going to be doing that day. I spotted her hanging up some tank tops on the back wall of the Junior's section.

"Tiff!" I greeted her happily, "What's on the agenda for me today?"

"Heya, Bella! Uhm... I need you to help me with the new stuff for the upcoming school year. Can you believe people start shopping in June for clothes for August?" she replied with an eye roll.

"Yeah, I guess some people just want a head start on things."

As we were hanging up the new stuff, Tiff asked me about my date the night before. I told her the story of what had happened and she was beyond shocked at the new revelations of the Jasper situation.

"You know what this calls for, right?" she asked me seriously, as if it were the most common answer ever.

"Uhm... no. What ya talking bout, girl?"

She clapped her hands together excitedly and exclaimed, "Girl's Night!"

I really had no idea what a girl's night entailed but it sounded like fun. Soon, Tiff had worked it out with Meg, Tracy, and Dee to meet at her house later that night for drinks, pizza, movies, and girl talk.

I called Jasper on my lunch break to let him know that I wouldn't be home that night as I had previously planned. He was okay with that, saying that he'd just hangout with Jake and play basketball or something else equally physical. Then he told me to have fun. I love how being with him is so easy and natural.

The rest of the work day finished quickly and we all walked to the parking lot together. It still scared me that someone was going to be waiting for me so I always walked out with someone. Dee, Tracy, and Meg all got in their cars and left to go get ready for the night.

Tiff and I were the last ones to our cars. I had been sitting there for a moment, checking Twitter on my phone, when there was a knock on my window. I jumped a foot out of my seat and screamed one of those screams you'd hear in a murder mystery on television. I looked up to see Tiff standing there, trying not to laugh at me.

As I rolled the window down, I mockingly scolded her. "What the hell, woman? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

She started full-on laughing at me then, and I couldn't help but laugh either. "Sorry, my car won't start so I thought maybe you could give me a ride. I didn't mean to scare ya, I wasn't gonna murder your ass or anything."

"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say," I joked with her. "Get in, girl. I have to stop by the apartment and change before we head to your house. Do you mind?"

"No way, I wanna meet this man that you gush about all the time," she replied, smiling at me.

I couldn't help but smile the whole way back to the apartment. As much as Tiff wanted to meet Jasper, I wanted to be able to show him off to someone.

It wasn't very long before we were standing in the living room of the apartment. I was just about to head into the bedroom to change when Jasper walked around the corner from the hallway into the living room. He'd just gotten out of the shower and had on a pair of jeans, hanging low off his hips. He wasn't wearing a shirt and his bare chest was still gleaming with drops of water. He was in the process of rubbing his hair dry with a towel, when he looked up and startled a bit.

His face lit up when he saw me standing there. "Bella, I thought you weren't coming home tonight."

"I just have to change before we head to Tiff's," I answered as he pulled me closer for a hug and kiss.

Tiff cleared her throat and brought me back to reality. I couldn't help it that Jasper's lips made me forget about everything else

I turned to face my friend. "Tiff, this is Jasper. Jasper, this is Tiffani." I motioned toward each of them as I made the introductions.

"Hey!" she said coolly while grabbing and squeezing the hell out of my arm.

Jasper's shy smile crept across his face. "Hey, it's nice to meet you, Tiffani. Can I get you anything to drink?"

"No, I'm good. We're leaving in a minute," Tiff replied.

"I'm gonna go change real quick, be right back," I told them as I exited the room.

I hurriedly changed out of my work clothes and put on a pair of jeans and a comfortable t-shirt. I let my hair down and dragged a brush through it quickly. I gave myself a once over in the mirror and thought I looked okay, so I returned to the living room.

Jasper and Tiff were talking about a movie that had just come out when I got back into the living room.

"You ready?" I asked her and she nodded.

"Bye, Jasper." I hugged him tightly and then pulled his lips to mine.

On the way to her house, Tiff told me, "You did good, girl. That man is sex on two legs."

I just laughed, because I totally agreed.

We got to her apartment and the rest of the girls were outside waiting for us. We went inside and that's when the fun started.

Everyone grabbed a spot to sit—Tracy and Meg on the couch, while Tiff sprawled out on the love seat. Dee sat in the recliner chair, and I plopped down on a bean bag chair on the floor.

"Tiff, your place is so nice!" I exclaimed, looking around the room.

"Thanks, I try to keep my place nice so it'll be clean in case motherfuckers try to drop by without calling first," she replied, grinning from ear-to-ear.

"So, ladies, what exactly should I expect from tonight?" I asked curiously.

Meg looked at me and laughed. "You've seriously never done this before?"

"Well, yes and no. I only really had one friend back in Washington so we did girl things together but never in a bigger group."

Tracy spoke up. "Awww, man, girl's nights are so much fun. Pizza, alcohol, and girl talk, the Holy Trinity."

"Yeah, we usually call one when one of us is having a crisis or needs to let off some steam, and Tiff called it for you, so c'mon girl, spill your guts," Dee encouraged me.

Tiff took that moment to break in. "First, let's order the pizza. I'm fucking starving. What does everyone want and from where?"

"I'm good with anything," I replied.

Tracy laughed and said, "I just like a little pizza with my cheese, that's good enough for me."

Dee and Meg replied, "Pizza Hut Supreme!" at the same time, and the whole room erupted into giggles.

Tiff called in the order and while we waited for the pizza, the girls made me start talking.

I told them everything that had happened in the past couple of weeks from the first night in the bar to finding Edward with Maria, then ending up back at Jasper's. I told them about my stalker and our first date the night before.

"Wow, that _is _a load of fuckery, isn't it?" Meg asked, shocked that Edward was such a true douche bag.

"I told you she needed a girl's night, didn't I?" Tiff simply stated.

"Yeah, well, I never could have imagined that all that crap had gone on in the past few weeks," Tracy answered. "But, yeah, I'd say that's a good reason for a girl's night."

The doorbell rang and Tiff jumped up to answer the door.

"Pizza's here!" she exclaimed, as she set the boxes down on the living room table.

We all dug in, scarfing down the pizza like it was going to disappear if we didn't eat it quickly.

"Okay, girls, I really need some advice here. The only thing I haven't told you yet is that last night, right before we fell asleep, I told Jasper that I think he should talk to Maria and get the answers he needs to move on," I told them nervously. "The thing is, I'm not sure about how to get through this without panicking. I mean, I know he needs to do this, but I don't trust that girl."

Dee, being the most experienced in this department, spoke up. "Girl, you have no reason to trust her, but if you want things to move forward with Jasper, then you need to trust him to do the right thing. He trusted you when you went to get your answers from Edward. I'm sure that wasn't easy for him."

"No, it wasn't. He told me that he nearly went crazy from anxiety."

"Well, there ya have it. It might not be easy, but it'll be worth it in the end if it's meant to be this way," she told me.

"You are a wise one, oh, Yoda!" I playfully teased her. "Thank you!"

"So, Bella, tell us about this man of yours. What makes Jasper worth all this?" Tracy asked me.

That's when Tiff broke in. "Oh, my Lord, if you saw this man, you'd understand. He's UNF with a little bit of guh, blue eyes, and a sexy smile. He may give Meg's man a run for his money."

I blushed a bit at Tiff's description, but she was so right. "He is pretty fucking gorgeous. He always puts me first and everything he does just melts my heart. Plus, he hasn't dated _anyone_ in four years and he chose me, that's pretty epic."

"He does sound like a catch. I'm just so glad I have my Jax. I don't know what I'd do if I had to deal with this type of stuff anymore. We dealt with jealousy and trust issues at the beginning, with him being a musician and all, but we are so comfortable with each other now. Also, let me tell you what, the sex is still great after all this time," Meg gushed.

Tracy agreed right away. "Yeah, I'd probably go nuts if I had to deal with a new relationship now. Jared and I are happy, that's all that matters. So, Bella, how's the sex with your man? I mean, dish, chica."

I looked down at the floor trying to hide my face, as I knew it would give me away.

"Wait just a damn minute," Tiff cried out. "You mean you haven't tapped that ass yet?"

I sighed. "Nope. I mean, with everything that's been going on, we just haven't progressed that far. It's almost happened twice but he stopped us both times. He says he wants it to be different with me; he wants it to be special."

Dee smiled and replied, "That's good, it means he doesn't want to rush things. By the way, I still think it's so sweet that he punched Edward in the face at the restaurant for you. Don't let this boy go."

"I'm trying not to, I swear. Last night, after he told me his story, he said to me that he was glad this happened because he wants to 'be free to move forward with me,'" I revealed to them.

"Oh em gee... that's like total swoonage right there, Bella." Tiff gave me her best imitation of goo-goo eyes at that point.

"I know, right?"

Meg stood up and said, "Who's ready for alcohol?"

There was a unanimous cry of "I am!" around the room.

"Good, we brought stuff for Long Island Teas and Malibu Rum and Cokes."

Everyone got up and went into the kitchen to make their drinks. Tiff shyly announced she wasn't drinking though, and everyone looked at her suspiciously.

Meg was the first one to ask, "Tiff, are you trying to tell us something?"

She gave Meg a wicked, evil side eye and said, "Cam doesn't really want me to say anything to anyone yet, but..."

A chorus of "Congratulations!" and whooping broke out around all of us and we were all on her hugging her and cheering.

She settled for a Diet Coke and we went back into the living room. We talked about a lot of different things and refilled our drinks several times. We also ended up watching _The Notebook_, which had us all bawling like little babies.

At the part in the movie where Allie and Noah were just getting out of the boat in the rain, Dee repeated Noah's line with the movie, "It wasn't over... it's still not over!"

"Shhhhh!" Tracy hissed at her, tossing a throw pillow in her face. "I haven't seen this before!"

"Oh, my God... I love that kiss. It's like true love incarnate!" I told them. "It totally makes me swoon."

After the first movie was over, we decided to watch _Moulin Rouge_, because Tracy has an unhealthy attraction to Ewan McGregor and his package. "I'm telling ya guys, I heard that he's HUGE!" Tracy insisted when we all laughed at her for knowing this.

The movie was actually really good and I'm glad she suggested it.

The night was exactly what I needed. I just relaxed and hung out with my friends. There was no stress and lots of alcohol and junk food. It was the perfect gift from the girls.

Eventually, we all passed out on the floor and couches. When we woke up Sunday morning, we helped Tiff clean up and then headed back to the real world.

When I arrived home from Tiff's around noon, Jasper wasn't there. I tried calling his cell phone but he didn't answer. I wondered where he could be, but didn't think anything of it. Instead, I went into the kitchen and got out everything I'd need to bake him a cake. I just wanted to do something special for him since he was always thinking of me.

Two hours later he walked in the door looking as dejected as I'd ever seen him.

"Jasper, what's wrong? Where have you been?" I asked him, extremely concerned about him.

His reply shocked me. "I... I was talking to Maria."


	10. Maria's Revelation

**A/N: Here we go again, you guys are too amazing to me! I thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews! They make me smile so much! Thanks to those of you pushing me for quicker updates, I'm trying to comply :) We've reached 100 reviews! * does two cartwheels and ends up in the hospital * :) **

**My wonderfully fucktastic beta, Coachlady1, popped my hundred review cherry and I thank her so much :) She truly is the best and if you haven't read Guarding Bella Swan, her newest fic, then what the hell are you doing here? Hehe you should totally be over there reading hers (or you could just read both! It would make Jasper very happy!) She works hard for me and deserves extra praise in the form of more readers! I love you hardcore babe, you are my best friend! **

**Next to my amazing pre-reader Tiffaninichole, thank you times infinity, you are a pure mutha-fucking-genius. If it weren't for you and all the hard work you do for me, this story would suck. I'm serious, folks, she should be listed as co-author but she won't take the credit! I've talked it over with Jasper, and he thinks it would Tiff very happy if you all went and read PLUS reviewed her new fic Operation: Breakup :) It's really good, Jasper plays the staring role in that one! (if buttsecks isn't your thing, maybe not but it's super hot!) I love you forever girl, you pwn me! **

**To my other wonderful brilliant pre-reader Handsandfingers, you have no idea how much I appreciate what you do for me! You rock my world and I love you girl! Honestly folks, she's stupendous! Give her mad props! **

**Next, I have got to pimp this new story by my very good friend mw138 :) it's called I'm Not the One and of course, it's staring our very own favorite man, Jasper ;) Seriously the first chapter is so good and she's not getting NEARLY enough attention for it and it just makes me very, very sad! (makes Jasper sad too and well, hasn't he had a hard enough time in this fic lately? Go on, make him happy!) Here's the link, altho you can find it in my favorites: http : / / www (dot) Fanfiction (dot) net/s/6259054/1/**

**I think that's it for this round guys, this one's a doosy, I'm warning you now! I love you all and don't forget to review when you are done reading! :) I absolutely love hearing what you have to say! :) ...**

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Chapter 10: Maria's Revelation

The morning after the fucked up first date I had with Bella, I woke up really pissed. I guess all the emotions that I'd been suppressing all those years were finally surfacing. I knew I was in no condition to talk to anyone, especially Bella, since none of this was her fault and I didn't want to be short with her in any way, so I went for a run. It was early so I knew Bella wouldn't be up for awhile. I ran for miles, I don't even know how far I ran but I just kept pushing myself to go a little farther, I kinda felt like Forrest Gump. _Just keep running... _I told myself over and over. I was hoping to run the anger right out of me, but no such luck. The events of the night before just kept repeating in my brain like a horror movie.

When I got back to the apartment, Bella was still sleeping so I hit the weights. There was just something about working out that allowed me to focus my mind and let the anger go. Turning the negative into a positive and all that cheesy shit that trainers spew to help you. Once I felt like I was capable of holding a civilized conversation, I went into the bedroom to get ready for a shower and noticed that Bella wasn't in bed anymore.

At that moment, she walked out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel and my heart began beating rapidly. MJ got hard and saluted her body within seconds of seeing her. I pulled her close to me, craving the connection and tilted her head up so that I could kiss those beautiful lips of hers.

She started giggling and that made me smile. I couldn't help but love all the adorable reactions I was able to elicit from her just by minimal touches. I couldn't wait to see what I could do when I got to finally take her fully as mine. _Oh__,__ yes, it will be fantastically hot, I'm willing to put mo__ney on it... This girl will be __a vixen in bed._

We exchanged a few pleasantries before Bella pulled my lips back to hers and intensified the kiss. I was more than willing to take her right then and there, but she had to work and I really needed a shower, so I suggested that she get dressed and leave me to my shower before I was no longer able to control myself and be held accountable for my actions.

I smirked at her, knowing what thoughts were now roaming through her brain and kissed her on the forehead before I headed for the shower.

Once I got in the shower, I couldn't help myself. MJ was throbbing and begging for release at remembering the sight of Bella, so very nearly naked in front of us. I poured a bit of my body wash on my palm and quickly coated myself with it and began lightly stroking myself, twisting my wrist slightly when I reached the tip. My thumb grazed the head before I slid back down the shaft and my breath caught when images of Bella took over my brain.

Her hair wet draping her shoulders, her skin so creamy and inviting. I gripped harder as I imagined myself licking and sucking every inch of her skin I could reach, pulling down that towel and taking in the sight of her round, perky breasts, moaning as I wrapped my lips around those pink nipples. So goddamned perfect.

I needed her as soon as possible.

I threw my head back as my hand gained speed and my thoughts grew in intensity, drifting to what it would be like to have my cock disappear into her mouth, to watch her eyes as she took all of me. I moved my hand faster, imagining how her tongue would feel, how she would suction her cheeks and hum around me. I groaned and tightly closed my eyes; the thought of myself in Bella in any way was enough to push me over the edge. My orgasm hit hard as I called out her name, come spurting on the shower wall and dripping onto my hand.

Damn, if only the thought of her could make me come like that, I couldn't fucking wait 'til it actually happened.

I quickly finished up the shower and headed to the kitchen for food. I was starving after my extremely physical morning and was pleasantly surprised that Bella had already made breakfast and left some for me. She was always so good to me. _And sh__e might actually be good for me__, I hate to admit it, but fuck I just can't wait to be buried in her pussy._

After I ate and cleaned up the kitchen, I called Jake and asked him if he wanted to hang. He came over and we were in the middle of tag-teaming some alien bitches when my phone rang and startled me.

"Fuck!" I yelled at the interruption, annoyed that I had to pause the game until I recognized Bella's ringtone.

"Hey, sug', what's up?"

"Hey! Is it okay if I go over to Tiff's after work? They wanna have a girl's night, but I won't if you don't want me to. I don't want you to go hungry. I was planning on making lasagna tonight..."

I chuckled at her rambling. "No problem, babe. I'll just hang with Jake and play basketball or something. Don't worry about me, I won't starve to death."

"Thanks, Jasper. Tell Jake I said hi! I'll text you before I come home later, okay?"

"Have fun, Bella. Talk to you later."

I was glad she was going to do something fun; she really needed that.

Jake and I spent the next hour finishing our game and then I suggested to him that we head down to the court to play some one-on-one. We were both after the ball at one point, when I got a little too aggressive and knocked him down.

He looked up at me from the ground, a little shocked at my actions. "What the fuck, dude? What in the hell is your problem?"

I felt horrible about it and stuck my hand out to help him up. "I'm really sorry, man. I didn't mean to knock you down. I've just got a lot of shit on my mind right now."

"It's all good, just try not to take me out next time, okay?" he joked, grabbing the ball from me and taking it to the free throw line.

Of course, my skills were superior to Jake's, so I killed him every game, but he was getting better and becoming more of an opponent all the time.

I realized that it was nearing dinner time, but we were sweaty and gross, so we split up and went to our places to shower and get ready to go out for the night. We were planning on heading to Lazlo's for food and drinks. Plus, the place had big screens so we could watch the baseball game in HD.

After an uneventful shower, I pulled on a pair jeans and was drying my hair with a towel as I walked around the corner into the living and was shocked as hell to see Bella standing right in front of me. _What the hell? I thought she wasn't coming home tonight. Did something happen with her girls?_

I was happy to see her, of course, and told her so, pulling her in for a hug and kiss. I couldn't help that just seeing her made me want to kiss her, a lot. I hadn't even noticed that she had company until someone behind her began clearing her throat in an attempt to make her presence known.

Bella introduced her friend as Tiffani and headed to change. We chatted about nothing in general until Bella returned, but I couldn't help but feel like I was being sized up by her friend. Not in a bad way, but just being checked out, maybe? I don't know how to explain it.

They left and Jake and I went out for our night. Nothing major happened, we drank a bunch of beers and went home when the game was over.

Later that night I was lying in bed when my phone beeped and it took awhile for me to figure out that I had a text. It took even longer to figure out how to open it.

*Got a little drunk & can't drive home. Staying at Tiff's, see you in the morning –Bella*

When it took over ten minutes to read the message, I figured I was pretty damn drunk myself. I closed my eyes and passed the fuck out, thinking about how much I wished Bella was there with me.

The nightmare that I had was enough to make me swear I would never drink again.

_I was standing in a hallway, outside of a door that looked vaguely familiar to me but I couldn't place it. As I opened the door to find out where I was, I was back in Eddie's room, but this time it was Bella in his bed. Then Maria walked up and joined in on the action, as I stood there, unable to move or even speak. It's like I was invisible to them but I could see and hear everything they were doing._

_Once they were finished and I was finally able to move, I ran from the room, seething with rage while punching a few holes in the wall. I was just about to break the windows in Eddie's precious sports car..._

I startled awake at that point. _Jesus Fucking Christ! What in the hell was that?_

I was shaking, drenched in sweat, and my heart was racing. I was breathing so hard it took me nearly five minutes to calm down and catch my breath. My head was pounding, which was unusual for me. _Fuck this shit, I never get hangovers. Can nightmares give you a migraine? FUCK!_

I was so glad that Bella wasn't there to witness that. I even scared myself at the amount of anger pouring out of my body in that moment. I really hoped that I never had to worry about Bella hurting me like that. She seemed like she hated the douche bag as much as I hated Maria, but then again, when you've loved someone, no matter what they do to you, a small part of you will always love them. It's all very complicated and even though I _knew_ it was just a dream, I still felt very betrayed. It didn't make any sense to me at all.

I knew that it was another perfect day for a run, but I was running with a destination in mind. I was heading to Pioneer's Park. There was this bench that overlooked a small pond under several big canopy trees. It was my spot to go relax and reflect on things that were bugging me. My mother and I had discovered this place when I was younger and since then I had adopted it as my place of serenity. I'd only shared it with one other person before but I tried to forget that.

Once I arrived at my spot, I sat down on the bench to catch my breath and watch the ducks float around the pond. It was peaceful and I felt my anger begin to dwindle, until it was nearly nonexistent. Well, for the time being, at least.

As the calm took over, I began to think about things more clearly. The nightmare had scared me shitless, but I really didn't think Bella would ever do that to me. She knew what it felt like to be cheated on, and she now knew my history with that bastard, so I wasn't too worried about it. What _did_ freak me out was that I was having the nightmares again after so many years of not dreaming at all.

I was fully concentrating on my thoughts, so when I felt a hand on my shoulder behind me, I jumped a mile off the bench.

"Jas..." I heard the familiar voice of Maria say softly.

I whipped my head around and flinched away from her touch. "Do not call me that, Maria. You lost any right you ever had to that name when I found you in _his_ bed. And don't fucking touch me," I narrowed my eyes at her as anger poured out of me.

Maria quickly removed her hand and walked around the bench to face me. "Can I sit down? I'd like to talk to you."

As much as I hated her, she always did have a way with me and I couldn't just be rude. "Do whatever you want, you will anyway," I replied, trying to make myself appear emotionless. There was no way I was going to let her see that she still had any effect on me.

She smiled like I had just paid her a compliment, which I totally didn't, and sat down next to me. She curled one leg up under her and turned to face me sideways. "You know, you're one hard person to get alone." She chuckled and her eyes still had that same sparkle in them. I couldn't help but notice that she was just as beautiful as ever, until I snapped out of that train of thought and remembered why we were here in the first place.

"What? Have you been having _me_ followed too? God, you two totally deserve each other." It was already getting hard to show zero emotion; this wasn't going to be easy. _Don't be a pussy, she's the bitch wh__o turned you into damaged goods;__ don't give her the fucking satisfaction._

"That was Edward's doing, not mine. I really wish he would leave Bella alone but he won't listen to me on that one. Besides, I'm not dating him, Jasper. He's just my best friend," she informed me, resting her arm on the back of the bench and using her hand to brace her face.

"Yeah, he's not so fucking good at the best friend thing, and, apparently, neither of you is good at the goddamn dating thing," I remarked snidely, not even making an effort to hide my irritation. "What the fuck do you want to talk to me about?"

Maria sighed deeply, as if she were collecting her thoughts, and then answered me. "Jasper, I'm really sorry for the way everything happened with Edward. Honestly, I never meant to cheat on you and hurt you the way I did, but I had undeniable feelings for Edward as well. I didn't want to lose either of you and I know that makes me a selfish bitch. I still feel horrible about what happened, but you never gave me a chance to explain."

"_You_ felt terrible?" I scoffed at her. "Cry me a fucking river." I was fucking pissed again and now I didn't care if she knew it. She_ feels bad? I'll make her feel a million times worse by the time this is over._

"You know I loved you; I still do. We never had a chance to resolve things and I never got over the guilt of what I did to you, Jas."

I gave her the deadliest look and she quickly corrected herself, "Oh, I meant Jasper. I'm sorry. Old habits die hard."

"Some old habits just don't seem to die at all though, huh? Like fucking your so-called best friend, even though you knew he had a girlfriend—an amazing girl who didn't deserve to get caught up in the fucked up situation you and Edward have going on." I was raging but I didn't fucking care. I didn't even want to be in her presence anymore, it wasn't helping me at all. In fact, it was only making things worse.

"You're right, she didn't deserve that. Edward loves her and we made a mistake, but that doesn't excuse what happened. He's really not as bad of a guy as you think he is, Jasper. Maybe if you two talked you could..."

She was in the middle of her sentence when I cut her off. "FUCK THAT SHIT!" I cursed. "There's no goddamned way you're going to make me believe that Edward ever gave a damn about Bella. If he did, he wouldn't have cheated in the first place. Edward is a low-life bastard who deserves to have his nuts ripped off and shoved down his throat. Now, are you done? I've dealt with enough bullshit for one day." I made a move to get up, but something caught my attention.

Maria was almost in tears, but I recognized that look. She was scared and fuck if that didn't make me feel bad. _I never wanted to scare her. Damn__,__ I'm an asshole._

"Look, Maria, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you, but I'm sick of these dumbass games. I'm not wasting another minute on this shit."

"Jasper," she sighed, "I've got something else to tell you. Once I'm done, you can decide to go and push me out of your life forever, if that's what you want, but I feel like it's finally time for you to know this."

"Of course, that's what I want, Maria. Now what do you want to tell me? Get this over with quick," I ordered.

"Okay, like a band-aid right?" she asked, probably more to herself than me, but I nodded anyway.

"Two weeks after you caught us, I found out I was pregnant. I was scared to death because I had no idea who the baby belonged to, you or Edward," she blurted out, almost too fast for me to understand her.

What. The. Fuck. Had I just heard her right? _No fucking way. T__his has to be a sick joke, right?_

I was gripping the bench so tightly that my knuckles had turned white in anticipation of what she was going to say next. She continued without so much as looking at me. "Edward had me move to Texas with him, convinced that the child was his but I knew I wasn't responsible enough to take care of a child, no matter what. I had other plans for my life than motherhood at such an early age.

"Anyway, I arranged for an open adoption to take place after the baby was born with some nice people here in Lincoln. We came back before it was time for the whole ordeal to take place. I gave birth to a baby girl and when she arrived, Jasper, I took one look at her and had no doubt in my mind who the father was.

"Edward immediately requested a paternity test but just as I had thought, it was negative. She's your daughter, Jasper. Blonde hair, blue eyes, and loads of curls; she looks just like you," Maria revealed.

I was stunned. No, stunned doesn't even begin to cover it. As the information sunk in, I began to feel the anger coming back. "What do you mean she's mine? Didn't you EVER think this was something I should KNOW about in the past four fucking years? FUCK Maria! Are you serious?"

"Jasper, I know you're angry, and I deserve it. I deserve so much worse from you, but I couldn't keep it from you anymore. I thought you were better off not knowing, and it was easier for me not to tell you, but the other night when I saw you at the restaurant, I knew I had to confess. It's the right thing to do. I'm sorry, I know there's nothing I can say to make you feel better right now, but I need to know what you're thinking," she pleaded.

I didn't even know what I was thinking. Did I really have a child I didn't know about for the past four years? How could she keep this from me? How could I even know the child is mine? I had so many questions, but only one thing came to my mind. "What's her name?" I asked calmly, almost too calmly, the complete opposite of the anger that was previously exploding from my mouth.

"Her name is Ava Rose. She just turned three a few weeks ago. She's beautiful and smart and has this crazy personality," Maria answered softly. "With the open adoption, she knows that I'm her mother, and she lives with two wonderful people who allow me to see her whenever I want. I just couldn't do it, Jasper. I couldn't raise her on my own. I was too young and just not prepared for that life."

"As if you haven't already fucked with my mind enough, now you tell me this shit? What the hell do you want from me?" I asked, frustrated that I couldn't get a grip on all of this.

"I don't want anything from you, Jas..." I eyed her menacingly, "...sper." she added quickly. "I just want you to have the knowledge and I want you to know that if you want to meet her, all you have to do is say the word and I can arrange it. I mean, Edward..." she was saying.

"Wait just a damn minute," I cried out. "You let Edward near her? He's spent time with this child that I never even knew about? Jesus Christ, what the fuck is wrong with you two?" _He won't stop 'til he's had some control on every fucking aspect of my life._

"He's my best friend; he got me through this entire situation, Jasper. Of course he's met her," she answered, challenging my accusation.

"This situation never would have been created if you two hadn't fucked me over so badly. CHRIST!"

"Jasper, calm down, please. I want you to have this." She dug around in her bag for a moment and then pulled out a piece of paper and placed it in my hands. "It's the newest picture we have of Ava. If you had any doubts before, you won't after you look."

I turned the photo over and it was myself staring back at me, in a smaller, female body. My stomach began to turn at the realization of this whole situation. I had a child. A three-year-old little girl and no one gave a damn enough about me to clue me in on the situation. _This is bullshit;__ just get the fuck out of here._

"Maria, this is just... too goddamned much. I've got a lot of thinking to do, and I need to get the fuck out of here before..." I broke off as I stood up and started walking in the direction of my apartment.

"Jasper, wait..." Maria called out, moving quickly to catch up to me. "I know it's a lot but if you want me to arrange the meeting, let me know. I left my number on the back of the photo."

"Thanks," I said flatly. "I gotta go now."

"Bye, Jasper," she whispered and then turned to walk in the other direction.

I didn't even run home, I just walked and let the entire conversation mill around in my head. It was excruciatingly difficult to comprehend everything and I really needed to talk to someone about this. I hoped Bella would be at home when I got there. I needed her now more than ever. I needed the emotional and physical reassurance that someone _did _care about me and my feelings because I just kept getting reminders about how _no one_ cared before.

As soon as I walked in the door, I smelled something delicious in the air and I saw Bella's smiling face come out to greet me.

Her face fell immediately when she saw me. Concern was written all over it as she asked me what was wrong.

"I... I was talking to Maria." My voice sounded as empty as I felt. _Fuck. My. Life._


	11. Moving Forward

**A/N: Thank you all so much for all the love and reviews you've given me! I love you all so much! I'm really sorry that this has taken so long to get out but it was a really really hard chapter for me to write so it took me nearly a week just to get this down. Before that, I was writing a o/s for The Inspirational Music Contest which the voting has started for! There's only one other entry in the contest written by another fabulous author so you should check it out and vote for the story you like the best. Mine is an Jasper/Edward slash story but I felt like their story needed to be told! **

**Here's the link for the voting: http:/ www (dot) Fanfiction (dot) net/u/2487815/TVDFics**

**Now time for my thank yous! To my beautiful, amazing, fantastic, and wonderful beta Coachlady1, thank you for always being there for me when I need you and for making this all pretty! You are the most wonderful friend in the world and I love you so freakin much! **

**To my pre-reader Tiffaninichole: You are the worlds best and no one can ever change my mind on that... Thank you for your continued devotion to me and my story and for all the support you give me in everything I write. You are truly one of the best friends in the world! I love you! Tiff wrote a new one shot called Teach Me How to Dougie! You all need to go read it and review it! It's under my favorite stories and she's under my favorite authors! **

**To my other pre-reader Handsandfingers: Thank you for all you do! You give me a perspective I don't see and it makes the story better! You rock my world and I love you too! **

**This ends my authors note for this chapter... it's a short one this time huh? :) Enjoy and don't forget to review and let me know what you think :)**

* * *

Chapter 11: Moving Forward

"What?"

Bella's face was full of both shock and concern as I filled her in on the details of my talk with Maria. She had several questions for which I couldn't blame her one bit. I answered everything as well as I could, considering I still didn't have many answers myself.

After I finished telling her everything, I felt a bit better. She was being totally amazing about the whole thing, even offering to go "have a word" with Maria herself, but I knew that wouldn't end well and I told her so.

We'd been sitting on the couch and eventually I ended up sprawled out with my head in her lap. I couldn't even think about everything that was going on because my mind was in total overload mode and was effectively about to shut down completely.

She kept playing with my hair as she sat there quietly with me. It was just a small but intimate gesture and was actually exactly what I'd needed to assure me that someone did care about me.

I fell asleep for damn near an hour because I was finally relaxed enough and Bella never moved. She just let me sleep and when I opened my eyes, she'd dozed off herself.

I lay there thinking about everything. I needed to come to a decision about this child thing and I had no idea what to do. Of course, I wanted to meet Ava because she's my flesh and blood, but in doing so, I would have to actually put myself in contact with Maria and I could only imagine what sort of problems she would try to cause between Bella and me.

Along with having to deal with Maria more, I'd also be putting myself in danger of having to deal with Edward, whom I wanted nothing to do with for the rest of my life. So that made things complicated.

Bella began to stir, so I sat up and smiled at her as she opened her eyes.

"Hey..." she said lazily as she returned my grin.

"Good afternoon, sleepyhead."

"Sorry, it's just too easy to relax when I'm with you, Jasper."

"It's okay, Bella, no need to apologize. It's been an exhausting few days for us," I assured her.

She pushed herself up so that she was standing in front of me and then grabbed my hand, hauling my ass up off the couch, too. As she wrapped her arms tightly around my waist, she pressed her face into my chest and inhaled.

"God, you smell so good..." she murmured as her fingers dug into my back.

My arms were wrapped around her shoulders, and my hands were buried in her hair. I lay my cheek on top of her hair and just reveled in the intensity of her embrace.

I could sense that something was not right with her and felt a strong need to find out what. "What's wrong, babe?"

"I just hate that you have to go through all of this because of me. I mean, if you'd never met me then you wouldn't be having to deal with all this fucking nonsense and could have gone on with your life," she explained, still holding onto me.

"Bella, as much as I hate to admit it, what I was doing before I met you wasn't truly living. I was merely existing, surviving even, but not living. I would gladly endure all of this shit again if it meant that I get to spend more time with you," I answered her and then placed a meaningful kiss on the top of her head.

She pulled away and smiled at me. "Really?" she asked.

"Absolutely." The smile that my words brought to her face made everything right in the world at that moment.

"Hey, I've got to run out and get some things for dinner. Do you wanna go with or are you going to be alright here by yourself?"

"You go ahead. I'm gonna work out a bit and then shower before dinner. I'll be fine," I promised.

"Okay." Bella tilted her head for a kiss, which I gladly gave her and then she grabbed her keys and headed out the door.

After I finished my workout and showered, I went back into the kitchen and Bella was cooking.

"Geez, it smells amazing in here. What are you making?" I asked as my stomach growled in anticipation.

"Lasagna, and by the sounds of it, you must be starving. It'll be done in about forty-five minutes; why don't you go see if Jake wants to eat with us. I made plenty and I kinda miss hanging around with him."

I agreed quickly because who am I to deny this amazing woman anything she requests of me. I knew I could have just texted him, but it seemed as if Bella was trying to get me out of the apartment for awhile longer, so I just went ahead and left.

I knocked on Jake's door and it didn't take long before he answered. I asked if he wanted to come over for dinner but he said he'd already eaten and wasn't hungry any longer. Then he asked me about the events of the morning and I really wanted to get his opinion on things.

Since Bella had told me it would be awhile before dinner, I went inside and told Jake the entire story. I watched his face as his expression changed from curiosity, to anger, to surprise, and finally to thoughtful.

He never interrupted me while I was telling the story and it made me appreciate him even more as a true friend because it wasn't an easy story to get through.

We talked it out for awhile and after we finished our chat, I had a much deeper respect for Jacob. He gave me a lot of insight on the possible positive and negative outcomes of the whole situation that I hadn't even thought of, which made my decision so much more complicated but cleared my mind a lot also.

My phone beeped at me so I opened it to the little envelope on the screen telling me I had a new text message from Bella. I clicked on the message.

*Dinner's ready... see ya soon! -B*

*Okay, be right there... -J*

I stood up and started to head toward the door. "Hey, that was Bella; time to go home. Are you sure you don't want to join us? Her cooking is amazing, dude."

I swear there was a mischievous look on his face for a microsecond. "Yeah, I'm sure. Be sure to thank Bella for the invitation, though. I'll talk to you soon."

"Sure, thanks again, Jake. You have no idea how much I appreciate your advice," I replied.

"It's not a problem. Let me know what you decide, okay?"

I nodded my head and left his apartment.

As I walked into the kitchen of my own apartment, my breath escaped my body. Somehow Bella had transformed the kitchen into an extremely romantic setting. There was a fancy white table cloth on the table under one of those edible fruit flower arrangements. Two long-stemmed candles were lit and set up on either side of the arrangement and the lights in the kitchen were off.

She had placed several smaller candles all around the kitchen and there was soft music flowing from somewhere, but I couldn't determine the source.

"Bella," I gasped lightly. "What is all of this?"

Bella walked around the table toward me with a humungous grin on her face, "I just wanted to do something special for you, Jasper. You've been so perfect and amazing to me since I met you, even when I didn't deserve it. I wanted you to know that I care deeply about you."

That was kind of the most perfect answer and this gesture was so sweet. "Thank you, sweets. It's nice to know that someone really does care about me."

She led me over to the table and gestured for me to sit down, so I did. Just a moment later, there was a bowl of salad sitting in front of me and Bella was sitting down right next to me eating hers.

We talked more about Bella's hometown and her family, things I hadn't learned before. She'd mentioned her friend Alice in passing, but she talked to me in detail about her now. I could tell by the waiver in her voice that she missed her terribly. Hopefully, I could figure out a way to remedy that for her. I could tell she was trying to keep the mood light and off of the huge decision looming over my head and for that I was extremely grateful.

During the conversation, Bella took our salad plates to the sink, served up the lasagna and garlic bread, and poured us a glass of wine. I took a bite of the lasagna and it was like heaven in my mouth. "Oh, my God, Bella, this is amazing."

The look of pure joy in her eyes at my compliment was enough to make my heart speed up. The things she could do to my body without even touching me was mind boggling. "Thank you, Jasper..." she whispered.

"I'm so glad Jacob decided he wasn't able to come over for dinner..." I mumbled before shoving another bite into my mouth.

Bella's face lit up and she burst out laughing. "Uhm... I may have had something to do with that."

"What do you mean?" I asked suspiciously.

"Well, I kind of planned this while you were sleeping this afternoon. I texted Jake to see if he could keep you occupied for awhile so I could set up. Which reminds me. We owe Jake a huge piece of lasagna because he hasn't exactly eaten yet." She was still laughing at her ability to trick me.

I, however, was moved at how much thought she'd put into tonight with just a few hours to prepare. After everything I'd been through recently, it was certainly a pleasant surprise.

"Are you ready for dessert?" she asked, clearing the dinner plates. "I made you a cake this morning and I'm dying to see if it's any good."

"Absolutely, darlin'. What kind did you make?"

"Well, it's homemade chocolate with my special whipped cream frosting."

"How did you know that chocolate's my favorite?"

"I didn't, but I was hoping you'd like it..."

"Well, let's test it out!" I exclaimed eagerly. Eating chocolate cake always made me feel like kid again, which was a feeling I really didn't mind at the time.

Bella got up and cut us both a slice. It was fucking amazing. "Are you sure you don't wanna go to culinary school, Bella? You could make a living with the food you make. This is the best cake I've ever eaten, hands down."

"You really think so? I love cooking, but I don't think I'm good enough to do it professionally. Besides, I really do want to work with children," she answered thoughtfully.

"I absolutely think so," I assured her. "So, let's get that food ready for Jake so the poor guy doesn't starve and include a piece of this cake so he can understand why I'm going to get fat from your living here."

Bella quickly packed up the food and ran it over to Jake's apartment. While she was gone, I moved into the living room and brought some of the candles in from the kitchen. I wanted the mood to remain calm and romantic, because I was about to do something that not too long beforehand, I wasn't sure I'd ever be ready to do again.

When Bella reentered the apartment, her face lit up at the candles in the living room. The flames cast shadows that were dancing on the walls, creating a very cozy atmosphere. I patted the couch next to me, indicating that she should sit down. She followed my instructions and soon our legs were touching as we turned to face each other on the couch.

I reached out to grab both of her hands in mine and looked at her intently. "Bella, I want to thank you again for what you did for me tonight. After the pure hell that was this morning, I honestly needed to be reminded that there are good, loving people in this world."

"Jasper..." Bella began to say.

"Please, let me get this out; it's hard for me to say."

She nodded her head and listened intensely to me.

"You've made me feel wanted, cared about, and special. Those are three things that I haven't felt for a long time and I forgot how awesome it feels. There's something about you that has been easily cracking off pieces of the wall I built around my heart to keep people out and I'm scared to death, but at the same time, I can't wait to see where this could go."

I was rambling but I didn't care; I took a deep breath and continued. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm so glad that I fought to allow you into my life instead of pushing you away, which would have been the easy choice. I want you, Bella. I want to know if you will officially be my girlfriend..."

The last part of the question might have come out rushed and a little mumbled but I was trying not to freak out from the enormity of the question at hand.

Bella gasped immediately and my heart began to race. I wasn't sure if that was a good gasp or a bad one. Maybe she wasn't ready to make this official and I'd just made things weird between us. It seemed like an eternity had passed when in reality, it was only a few seconds before Bella spoke.

"Yes, Jasper!" she cried out and leaned in to kiss me. "Yes!" _Kiss_. "Yes!" _Kiss_. "Yes!"

The last kiss she used to punctuate her answer was long and sensual. Her lips molded perfectly to mine and I instantly grew hard, straining against my jeans.

"Bella, baby, if we keep going, I'm not sure I'll be able to stop myself this time," I whispered against her lips.

Bella broke the kiss, wriggled her eyebrows at me, and moved her attention to the spot on my neck that drives me nuts. "What if I don't want you to stop this time?" Her breath tickled my neck as the words drifted from her mouth.

"Last chance, darlin'..." I growled in a warning tone, giving her time to change her mind. _Please don't change your mind._

She gazed up at me with that I'm-trying-to-look-innocent-but-I-have-naughty-things-in-mind look and I was done for. I felt Bella tug at my hand and soon I was being led into the bedroom.

She pulled my shirt up over my head and her hands traced the muscles in my back as she held herself close to me, nipping, sucking, licking at the exposed skin of my chest.

I had to force myself not to move at a pace faster than she was setting but it was extremely difficult not to strip her off her clothes and fuck her senseless on the spot.

"Jasper, take my clothes off..." she whispered as she leaned up and licked around the shell of my ear.

I would do anything this woman asked of me, so without hesitation I removed the offensive material that was covering her chest and once it ceased to remain on her body, I stood back and admired the way her milky skin was offset by the black lace of her bra.

She pulled me out of my trance and back to her by the waist of my pants. She slowly unbuttoned my jeans and as she pushed them toward the floor, her fingers brushed against my erection which sent a shot of electricity throughout my body.

I reciprocated her actions by removing her jeans also and casting them to the side. She was staring at me intently and her breathing was becoming shallower as the moments passed. I took a moment to look back into her eyes, searching for any sign of hesitation and found nothing but pure lust in them.

I could tell she was anticipating my next move so I gently eased her back onto the bed and kissed every inch of skin I could get my lips on. She arched her back, trying to get more skin-to-skin contact and I took the opportunity to release the clasp on her bra and set her breasts free.

I immediately took one of them into my mouth, twirling my tongue around her nipple while kneading the other with my hand. It was amazing to be so free with her without having to restrain myself.

I paid equal attention to the other breast and then began to lick and suck my way down her toned stomach. The moans that were freely flowing from her lips were positively arousing and it only fueled my own fire.

"God, you are so beautiful, Bella." My fingers slipped under the waistband of her panties and guided them painstakingly slowly down her legs.

"Please, Jasper, I need you..." she whimpered as my lips lost contact with her skin. She was looking at me with those pleading eyes. Oh, those eyes could do me in.

My tongue swiftly darted out of my mouth and slid along the delicious lips of her sweet pussy, parting them and allowing me to find the spot I wanted. From the first night we'd met, I'd been dreaming of tasting her.

As I worked her clit with my tongue, circling it then using flat strokes, I inserted a finger deep into her and quickly added a second.

"Oh, fuck yes, baby," she cried out as I slid my fingers in and out, curling upwards to hit that special spot I hoped would drive her mad. She writhed under me at the dual sensations as her fingers found their way to my hair, grasping it and adding pressure where she wanted it most.

I was in heaven with my tongue furiously licking and stroking her sweet spot, while my fingers were buried inside her. "Jesus, Jasper, I'm so close..."

Taking that as my cue, I dipped down and plunged my tongue as deep into her as I could which was exactly what she needed because her hands left my hair as she fisted the sheets tightly and screamed my name as she came. I licked up every ounce of sweet juice she had to give me.

"Damn, that was amazing, baby," I groaned as I fell back onto the bed.

"Oh, this isn't over yet." She propped herself up onto her elbows and grinned one of the most enticingly wicked grins I'd ever seen on a woman. "I've got plans for you; lie against the pillows, baby."

I did as instructed and watched with increasing anticipation as she gradually stalked toward me on her hands and knees. She bypassed the part of my anatomy that was desperately crying out for attention and made her way to my lips.

She kissed me passionately and unhurriedly and I couldn't help but groan into her mouth as our tongues fought for dominance. Her hands snaked down my chest, quickly pinching at my nipples before reaching their final destination. She grabbed onto my cock and it hardened even more with her lazy strokes.

Her lips made their way down the same path her hands had traveled just moments before and without warning, her warm, wet mouth was covering my dick. A strangled moan fell from my lips as my head instinctively fell backward, reveling at the feeling of Bella working my shaft with her perfect tongue.

The rhythm she fell into was amazing, as she swirled her tongue up and down while taking more of me into her mouth with each bob of her head. I gripped the edges of the bed to keep my hands from guiding her, which was something I always had the urge to do.

Watching her suck my cock was better than any fantasy I'd ever had about her while jerking off. It was so fucking hot to see her lips wrapped around me while knowing that she wanted it just as much as I did.

My breathing was becoming hard to control and I could feel the tension in my groin begin to build. "Bella, honey, that feels incredible but I really want to be inside of you when I come."

She released me from her mouth and my dick was crying out in agony at the loss of contact. "Do you have...?"

"Top drawer, right side," I instructed and she reached into the nightstand to grab a condom. She ripped the package and stroked me again with one hand quickly before rolling it down my shaft.

We switched positions so it was Bella lying on the bed and I was hovering above her, using my arms to hold most of my weight off of her. "Are you sure you want this, baby?" I asked one last time.

"Yes, please, Jasper. I need you..."

As those words were spoken, I positioned myself at her entrance and kissed her softly as I entered her. She was so tight and warm that it took a lot of effort not to come instantly.

"Oh, god, Jasper," she murmured quietly as I began to thrust gently into her.

Her lips were on my neck, kissing and sucking sensually in all the right places. I wanted this to be perfect for her, so I tried to convey every ounce of adoration and emotion I held for her in my slow but steady movements.

Her hands were grasping at my back. "More... I need more..." she breathed harshly as her nails dug into my skin.

That was all I needed to hear. My hands slipped under her shoulders to brace myself and I gave her more. I pulled almost all the way out before slamming back into her, harder and faster with every stroke.

"Yes... Jasper... that's it! Uggggh... right there baby..." she purred as her hands clutched onto my sides, pulling me down onto her.

My skin was on fire with the added contact, our chests sliding easily against each other with the moisture that was building. I continued to pound into her as our grunts and groans filled the room and enveloped us.

That familiar tension was back in my groin, burning its way through my veins. "Bella, God, I'm so close..."

"Fuck me harder, Jasper. Make me come with you..." she commanded. "I need to come, baby."

I threw her legs over my shoulders and thrust harder into her. The change of position allowed me to plunge deeper than ever and with a couple more thrusts, she was coming loudly, crying out in pleasure.

Her raspy cries combined with the clenching of her pussy walls drove me over the edge. I screamed her name as I came harder than I could ever remember. We rode out our mutual orgasm together and I collapsed onto the bed next to her when I could no longer hold myself up.

"That was perfect," she whispered and she nuzzled her face into my neck, kissing it lightly.

"_You_ are perfect," I replied and discarded the condom in the trash can next to the bed.

I could barely keep my eyes open but managed to slip under the covers with her as she curled up next to me.

"I wanna do it, Bells; I wanna meet her..." I told her softly, knowing she would understand what I meant.

"Then make it happen, baby, whatever it takes. You deserve to know her and I'll support you in whatever you decide..."

With that being said, I kissed her on the forehead and we fell asleep in each other's arms.


	12. Meeting the Family

**Author's Note: I really want to say thank you again to all my faithful and wonderful readers for waiting patiently *and in some cases not so patiently* for this chapter! I know it's been too long since updates but I can't force it out, so I write when it comes to me! You have all gotten me to 150 reviews which blows my mind and makes me want to do all sorts of wicked gymnastics that would land me in the ER... so I won't! But really, truly, thank you! **

**Since the last update, I have written a two-shot gift fic for my fantabulous pre-reader Tiffaninichole on my page called The New Kid... it's Jasper/Bella because she requested a fluffy/smutty story and I can't deny my sweets! Thanks as always to her for pre-reading this and just being all around amazing. **

**Also, I wrote the first chapter of a short E/B multi-shot gift fic for my amazingly wonderful beta Coachlady1 who rocks my world every single day. I would hope by now you all know how much I love them! Check those out if you want something else to read!**

**I have to thank my other fabu pre-reader Handsandfingers for being an all around fantastic chica! **

**Jasper and Bella took over this chapter and it ended up being completely different than I had originally planned but it fits well into the story and it would have needed to be done eventually, so here we go... I'll meet you at the bottom for a few story recs that have blown my mind! **

**As always, don't forget to review b/c I love hearing what you think about the story :) xoxo**

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Chapter 12: Meeting the Family

When I woke up tangled in Bella's arms the next morning it felt like a dream. Then the reality of the day before began to come back to me and I slowly remembered everything that had happened.

My head and my heart were warring with each other and I was feeling two completely opposite emotions at the same time which had my gut wrenching in the process. The time I'd spent with Bella was amazing and perfect and I never wanted to spend another day without her. This made me happier than I'd managed to be in a long time; she made me happier than my car and that's saying something. But that realization scared the shit out of me, because getting too attached, too comfortable with her was only going to end up in heartache for me. I wasn't sure if I could handle that again.

On the other hand, I'd made the decision to meet my daughter, which meant that I had to make the call to Maria and that had me freaking out. I truly wanted this and nothing was going to change my mind about it, but the thought of having to spend any time with Maria had me wanting to vomit.

I reached as quietly as I could over to the nightstand and picked up the photo that Maria had given me of Ava and looked at it again. God, she looked just like me and my heart skipped a beat. She was beautiful with her deep blue eyes and wavy blonde curls. A light spattering of freckles across her face and the thinner point to her nose looked like they were the only features she had inherited from her mother.

I was still in awe, processing the fact that this child was, in fact, my daughter. It seemed so surreal and I knew I should want a paternity test to prove it, but honestly, the gut feeling I had when I looked at her and the physical resemblance was all the proof I needed.

Bella stirred as she began to wake up then she looked up at me, looking at the picture of Ava. "She's one lucky little girl, Jasper," she whispered to me.

"Why do you say that?" I asked her quietly, my eyes never leaving the photo.

"You're such a wonderful man and she's lucky that she's going to have the chance to know you as her father. I know you'll be a great one," she assured me, squeezing my waist tightly where her arms were still wrapped around me.

I put the picture back then cupped Bella's face with both hands and kissed her softly. "Thank you, Bella. I hope she does get the chance."

Bella rolled over to get out of bed and sighed dramatically. "I don't wanna go to work today even though it's a short shift," she whined playfully.

"I have to go to dinner at my parents' tonight. It's Em's birthday. He and Rosalie are going to be there with the girls and I haven't seen them for far too long. Plus, if you'd be willing to come with me, I'd love to introduce you to my family..." I trailed off as the look of fear became apparent in her eyes.

"You... you want me to meet your family?" She swallowed thickly and her eyes quickly fell to a miscellaneous spot on the bed sheet.

"Of course, Bella..." Her fingers were trembling slightly. I got off the bed and walked around to face her. "Hey, sweetheart, look at me..." She barely moved her head so I knelt down to look at her. "What's wrong? Of course I want my family to meet my girlfriend. They're gonna love you..."

I pulled her into my chest and hugged her tightly for reassurance. I wasn't sure why she was so hesitant to meet them, but I wanted her to know it'd be okay.

I could still feel her shaking nervously. "What if they don't like me, Jasper? They might not think I'm good enough for you..."

That made me laugh, which caused her to cringe, and I immediately felt bad, but it was absurd for her to think that. "I promise, they are going to love you, Bella, and there's no reason why they would think you aren't good enough. I'm the one who's probably not good enough for you, but you want me and that's all that matters..." I stood and kissed her on top of the head.

She inhaled deeply and held it in for a moment before releasing it. "Okay, I'll go if you insist, but I'm still nervous..." She got up off the edge of the bed and walked over to the closet to find clothes for work.

I was extremely relieved that she'd agreed to go. "You get off at four, right?"

"Yeah, what time is dinner?" She continued to rummage through her clothes, putting more effort into finding an outfit than she normally would for work.

"We'll leave as soon as you get home from work. I've got to go into the office for a few hours this afternoon to fix a few bugs in our newest account's website, but I'll be home and ready when you get here." I walked up behind her and slipped my arms around her waist. "Thank you for agreeing to go with me, I need to talk to my parents about this whole situation and I'm gonna need you to be there. I have to call Maria this morning..."

Her breathing hitched when I placed a kiss at the spot where her neck meets her shoulder, a place I knew drove her crazy. "Geez, Jasper... I need to get in the shower before I end up doing something I can't control and am late to work," she told me, wiggling her ass at me for show.

I groaned and then let her go and headed to the spare bedroom for my workout while she showered.

After my workout was over and Bella had left for work, I knew it was time for me to call Maria, and my heart began to race as I dialed the number, with mine blocked of course.

"Hello?" I heard the familiar voice ask.

My voice wouldn't work the moment that she answered, the words were caught in my throat.

"Is anyone there? Who is this?" she asked again, starting to get impatient.

"It's Jasper..." I managed to choke out. _Why did I let her get to me? She's nothing special anymore... Man up, fucker._

I heard a breath of air rush into the phone. "Ah, okay. I assume you had a chance to think about what I told you, then..."

"Yeah, I did. Set it up, Maria. I want to meet her." My nerves had settled and the anger was creeping back into my voice.

"Okay, when? I have a visitation this Wednesday night, do you wanna do it then?" she asked and I could tell she was trying not to sound too happy.

"Yes, that will be fine... What time?"

"Six o'clock at 2448 Vine Street. That's where the Wilson's live; meet me there about ten minutes early."

"I'll be there…" I stated, cold as ice as I wrote the address down.

"Okay... see you then?" she questioned hesitantly.

"Oh, and Maria..."

"Yeah?"

"Make sure that Edward is nowhere near that place when I show up or there _will_ be hell to pay..." I hung up the phone and collapsed onto the couch.

I knew I had to figure out how to let go of the anger that I held for Maria or it was going to end up eating away at me and turning me into a bitter old man. I didn't want Bella to have to deal with me like that. I'd buried the emotion deep down after awhile but it'd never gone away, and since Maria had come back into the picture with all this, I was having a hard time gaining control of it again.

I decided to get my mind off of things and head into the office. I didn't have to get too dressed up since I was the only one who was going to be there today, so I threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and left.

Three hours and a few bouts of anger later, the website was fixed and had the seal of approval from the company who owned it, so I headed back to the apartment to get ready. It was nearly time for Bella to be arriving home and I was unexplainably happy about going to dinner tonight.

Maybe it was because I hadn't seen my nieces forever or it might possibly have been because I was finally bringing a girl home to meet the parents. It was hard to put my finger on it, but I wasn't going to complain because it had been quite awhile since I was that happy.

I hopped in and out of the shower quickly and was ready just as I heard Bella's key unlocking the door.

She walked in and a hesitant smile crept across her face when she saw me standing there waiting for her. "Hey, Jasper..."

"Hello, how was work?" I asked as I made my way over to kiss her.

"It was good; pretty easy today. Tiff and I are gonna go shopping tomorrow since we both have the day off. How was your day?"

My heart began to pound a little harder than normal as she asked about that. "I talked to Maria..."

"And?"

"I'm going to meet Ava on Wednesday night."

Bella's face lit up and she threw her arms around my neck. "That's amazing, Jasper. I'm so happy for you!"

"Thanks..." I replied holding her a few seconds longer. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah... let's do this." She laced her fingers through mine and we left the apartment.

It only took us twenty minutes to get to my parents' house but I could see the awe on Bella's face as we pulled up. The place was huge but it was home.

"It ginormous..." she whispered as her eyes tried to look everywhere at once.

"It's just big, nothing too special. Ready to go in?" I asked as I put the car in park.

"Okay..."

I got out and walked over to open her door for her and help her out of the car. She hugged my waist tightly as we walked up to the door and entered the house.

"Mom? Dad?" I hollered out when we got into the foyer. "Where are you guys?"

Just then my mother came rushing around the corner and threw her arms around me. "Jasper, you're here!" I hugged her back tightly.

"Yeah, I'm here." I chuckled at her enthusiasm then asked, "Where's Dad?"

He appeared around the corner just after I asked. "Jasper, it's good to see you, son." He extended his hand and I shook it then pulled him into a hug also.

"Mom, Dad, this is my girlfriend, Bella. Bella, these are my parents, Charlotte and Peter." I turned to Bella and she slipped her hand into mine and I squeezed it to reassure her that things were going to be okay.

"It's very nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Whitlock," she barely squeaked out, shaking both of my parents' hands.

"Bella, it's so good to have you in our home. Jasper never brings company when he visits, but please, it's just Charlotte and Peter."

"Yes, please make yourself at home, Bella." My father winked at her and I could feel her slowly letting go of the tension. "Emmett and the girls are already out back," he told me and we headed to the back yard.

As soon as we walked through the sliding glass door onto the back patio, three little girls came running up to me screaming, "Uncle Jasper!" and all hug-attacked my legs at the same time. I bent down and gave them all an individual hug and kiss before standing back up. "Bella, I'd like you to meet my nieces Hailey, Chloe, and Sophia."

"Girls, this is Bella; she's my girlfriend." I told them, and they all looked at Bella very shyly.

Hailey, being the oldest and the bravest, stepped forward and wrapped herself around Bella's leg. "You're very pretty, Miss Bella."

The smile that took over Bella's face was priceless and it turned me on instantaneously. "Thank you, Hailey; that's very sweet of you to say."

Chloe decided that if Hailey could do it, then so could she and Sophia followed suit, each taking a turn to hug Bella.

I heard Emmett's booming voice from across the yard where he stood by the grill with my father. He strode over to me quickly, quirking his eyebrow up in question when he noticed his girls hugging Bella's leg. Rosalie joined him on his journey over to me.

"Little brother," he greeted me, clapping me hard on the back. "I wasn't sure you were going to make it tonight. You've been so distant lately; it's good to see you."

"Thanks, asshole. Happy birthday, by the way. How does it feel to be so fucking old now?"

"I'm only twenty-six, fucker; that's not old. I'm just hitting my prime years, if you know what I mean." He waggled his eyebrows at me and I did know what he meant, but I so did _not_ need that image.

"Thanks for the mental picture, dickhead. Now I'm gonna have to pour bleach in my brain to erase that image."

He laughed even more loudly. "That's what I'm here for, baby bro. Now who is this gorgeous woman attached to your waist?"

I quickly made the last of the introductions and Emmett and Rosalie were both really welcoming to Bella. She didn't seem nervous at all anymore since everyone seemed to love her already.

"Miss Bella?" Hailey asked, tugging on Bella's pants.

"Yes, sweetheart?" Bella replied sweetly as she knelt down in front of her.

"Will you come play with us on the swing set?"

"Absolutely! Let's go!" She stood up and Hailey grabbed one of her hands while Chloe grabbed the other and they tugged her in the direction of the swing set, with Sophia trying to keep up on her tiny legs.

"Have fun!" I called after her and she turned around to smile at me.

I sat down in one of the chairs around the patio table and Emmett sat down next to me, handing me a beer. "So, you're calling Bella your girlfriend, huh? That's a big step for you..."

I twisted the top off and took a long drink before answering. "I know, Em. But I really like her and she's nothing like Maria was."

Emmett's face twisted up in confusion and he nearly choked on the beer he'd just drunk and I almost had to laugh. None of them knew what had been going on since Bella had made her way into my life, so the fact that I tossed Maria's name out so casually was a huge surprise to Emmett.

"She's really doing good things for you, huh?" Emmett asked. He was exceptionally perceptive sometimes and I had no idea where to start with telling him.

"You have no idea... I have so much to talk to you, Mom, and Dad about."

Apparently, either my mother's intuition kicked in or she had supersonic hearing because she was already standing behind me. "What do you need to talk to us about, Jasper? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's okay, Mom; I promise. I just have some stuff to discuss with you guys. It's pretty big, actually," I revealed to them.

"Oh, my God! Little bro, did you knock up your girlfriend already?" Emmett's voice was louder than it needed to be but I didn't think Bella heard him.

I glanced over at her and my heart was insta-goo in my chest. She was twirling a very giggly Sophia around in the air while Hailey and Chloe watched, jumping up and down. She was a natural with those kids and I knew she would make a great mother someday. Just not right now.

"God, no, Emmett! We haven't been together for that long. It's way too soon for that."

My father was standing next to us now, "You need to talk to us, Jasper?"

"Yes, but can we do it after dinner?" I asked them. "I don't really want to get into it right now."

"Absolutely, dear." My mother put her hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently. "Now, let's get your girlfriend over here so we can get to know her a little better."

Rosalie and I walked over to where the girls were playing. "C'mon, girls, let's give Bella a rest. It's time to get washed up so we can eat dinner," Rosalie said. She rounded them up and told them, "Please thank Bella for playing with you."

The girls all looked up at her with huge grins on their faces. "Thank you, Miss Bella!" they said in unison.

"You're welcome, girls; I had so much fun with you! Hopefully, we can hang out again soon!" Bella told them.

I took the moment to wrap my arms around her waist from behind. "How would you girls like to come stay all night at Uncle Jasper's sometime? You could play more with Bella then..."

"Mommy, can we?" Chloe asked, her big blue eyes widening with excitement.

"Yeah, Mommy, please?" Hailey begged, bouncing up and down.

"I suppose we could work that out," Rosalie agreed. "But we'll have to go ask Daddy first."

They walked away and I stood there holding Bella close to me. She turned around so her chest was pressed into mine and I felt my pants begin to get a bit more snug than normal. It was a natural reaction to being so close to her, but it's not like I could defile her in front of my family. "You turn me on so fucking easily, Bella. I wish my family wasn't here right now so I could lay you down on that slide and fuck you senseless."

Her breath began to pick up and she leaned up to kiss me. "Jasper, you're killing me here. I want you so bad right now, but I think we need to get back to your family."

I sighed, defeated. "I guess you're right."

We walked back over to the patio just as Mom announced that dinner was ready. Bella and I fixed our plates and sat down at the table with everyone else. The girls were at the kiddie table right off to the side of the table.

"Daddy, Uncle Jasper says we can come spend the night sometime so we can play with Miss Bella some more. Can we, please?" Hailey asked him. She was apparently very excited about that idea.

"Of course you can, sweetheart. Then Daddy and Mommy can have some adult time." He grinned at me with his wicked smile and I knew what he was thinking.

"Now, now, Emmett, control yourself, please; three nieces is enough for me right now." I chuckled when Rosalie's face burned bright red.

"Alright, boys, that'll be enough for now. We still need to get to know Bella a bit better right now," my mother scolded us.

Dinner turned out great and Bella was very gracious, answering all the questions my family threw at her. I could tell everyone really liked her, which was exactly as I expected it to be. Emmett told embarrassing stories about my childhood which got him smacked in the back of the head by Rosalie, and my mother and father seemed completely taken with Bella.

She told them about her tentative plans for the future, a little about her life back in Washington, and how much she was enjoying her time at the University.

The way she interacted with everyone was perfect; she fit into the family dynamic really well and it made me happy.

It was beginning to get chilly and the getting-to-know-you conversation had begun to die down, so I suggested that we all gather in the den so I could talk to everyone.

As soon as the girls were playing quietly in the toy room and everyone else had settled into a spot around the fireplace, I began. "There've been a lot of things going on in the past few months and I feel the need to let you all in on the details."

So, I told them everything from the beginning. They all gasped when I revealed that Edward was Bella's ex-boyfriend, and Emmett's facial expressions morphed from shock into anger the more I talked about what she'd gone through with him and Maria. I told them about the night at the restaurant and how I handled things there and Emmett cheered for me. They were proud that I was able to open up and tell Bella the whole story that was the catalyst for the very lonely years I'd had up until recently.

Then it got to the part where I had to tell them about my visit to the park where Maria showed up. "I was so upset with the events of the days before that I could feel my anger bubbling up, so I was trying to get away from her. She told me that she only had one more thing to tell me and then she'd let me leave. So I told her to hurry up and she basically told me that she found out right after we broke up that she was pregnant and, long story short, I have a three-year-old little girl that I've never met."

"WHAT?" My father's voice was loud and harsh and it startled me. My mother gasped softly and started crying.

"Yeah, I was pretty shocked myself," I admitted. "I couldn't believe that she kept this from me for so many years."

"How do you know, Jasper? It could very well be Edward's child," Emmett spoke up.

"Edward took a paternity test after she was born and it came back negative." I took out my wallet, pulled out the picture, and held it out. "Here, Dad, see for yourself..."

He took it from me and his face widened in surprise. "Well, fuck, Jasper."

He handed it to my mother, "She's his, Charlotte, look."

A small smile played across her lips as she looked at the photo, "She looks just like you; reminds me of when you were a baby."

Bella squeezed my hand and I was so grateful that she was there with me for moral support. "So, what are you going to do about this, Jasper?"

"Well, she has an open adoption with an older couple here in Lincoln and I'm going to meet her on Wednesday night," I explained, pulling Bella closer to me. It made me feel calmer when she was so close.

"How can that be?" my father asked me. "If you didn't know about this, then you couldn't have signed any papers stating that was acceptable."

"I didn't sign anything, Dad. I only found out yesterday about all of this and I haven't really had time to think about all of my options," I confessed.

"Well, you know we'll stand behind whatever you choose to do, but I think you should contact our lawyer on Monday and see what he has to say about what your options are. Money is not an object in this, Jasper. We'll take care of any legal fees necessary to make this right." My father was pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace and I stood up to stop him.

"I can't believe we have another grandchild, Peter. We've missed out on so much," my mother calmly stated. "What's her name, Jasper?"

"Ava Rose. I don't really know anything else right now, but I knew I had to tell you guys. I'm really gonna need your support with all of this."

Rosalie stood up, walked to where I standing, and hugged me tightly, "I'm sorry she kept this from you, Jasper. You don't deserve that, but if you ever need anything, you know Emmett and I are here for you."

"Thanks, Rose. That means a lot to me," I assured her.

Bella was beginning to look exhausted and I wasn't feeling too chipper myself so I told everyone that it was time for us to go home. Everyone stood up and said their good-byes, and I noticed my mother had pulled Bella off to the side for a few moments to speak to her.

My dad reiterated that I needed to call the lawyer and then told me he loved me and not to worry about anything, that we'd get it taken care of. I could tell he was angry that this had been kept from us, which reminded me that it wasn't just me who'd missed out on the first three years of Ava's life, but my entire family.

I wished Em a happy birthday one more time and the girls all came in to say bye. I promised to set up the overnight soon and Bella and I left.

As soon as we got into the car, Bella laced her fingers with mine. I seemed to crave her touch as much as she did mine and it just felt right. We drove a little bit before either of us spoke.

"So, your family is really awesome, Jasper."

"I told you they were going to love you. The girls are completely smitten with you, as is everyone else."

A huge smile was plastered on her face, I could tell even in the dark. "They're really sweet. How old are they? I never did ask."

"Six, four, and two..." I laughed. "Emmett and Rosalie are like bunnies when it comes to reproducing."

Bella tilted her head back on the headrest and it left her neck so open and exposed, I nearly pulled the car over right then to attack the creamy, smooth skin. "God, you're such a tease..." I joked, well half-joked anyway.

She pulled my hand up to her lips and kissed my knuckles. "We'll be home soon..." she insinuated. _But not fucking soon enough._

My curiosity got the best of me and I had to ask her. "What did my mother say to you when she pulled you aside?"

"She told me that she could tell I was doing great things for her baby boy. She said she can see a huge difference in you from before and that she's so glad that your heart is finally healing. Also, she wanted to make sure that I was okay with all of the new information that came in, because she doesn't want to see you get hurt again like the last time. I assured her that I'm more than okay with it and that I'll be here for you no matter what. I told her I care about you an awful lot already and I promised that I wouldn't hurt you."

"That's my mom for you; she's been worried about me for awhile. Thanks for being so awesome with my whole family tonight."

"They were so nice to me, how could I not be?" She sighed happily and we were quiet the rest of the way home.

Soon, we were back in the apartment getting ready for bed. Bella was undressing to put her pj's on, and I couldn't take it anymore. I pulled her into my naked arms and kissed her hard, I'd been so turned on by her all night that Mini Jasper was already standing at attention and ready to salute her body.

Hands were flying everywhere, trying to touch everything at once, and it got very heated quickly. We eventually made it to the bed where I worshiped her body in every way imaginable before I plunged myself deep into her body. She begged me to fuck her harder and faster and I complied, doing exactly as she commanded. It wasn't long before we were both pushed completely over the edge, climaxing together. I pulled her close to me, kissed her on the back of her neck, and we fell asleep, completely satiated.

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**End Note: **

**So, what did y'all think? :) Emmett's pretty cool right? I had a lot of fun writing him since I never really have before! **

**Okay: a few reccs, all of which you can find in my faves and remember I've been on slash fic kick lately so that's what most of these are :) **

**If On A Winter's Night by Touchstone67 b/c it's one of the most brilliantly written fics I've ever read and you'll connect with these boys on a level you never thought possible... and you'll cry! J/E **

**In You I am Complete by the incredibly talented Bbebar... her Jasper/Edward connection is one of a kind and so special that you can't help but fall in love! **

**Seven Minutes in Heaven from the absolutely brilliant mind of the amazing TuesdayMidnight... she takes you for the ride of a lifetime with J/E and it's totally worth it... then check out Seven More Minutes which is the companion piece in Jpov and is not something you should miss! **

**One last rec for now: The Path to Absolution by the utterly amazing rmhale... it's amazing and even tho it's only a few chapter in, it promises to be amazing! It's the sequel to her fabulous one shot A Kiss Before I Say Goodbye and well you must read that also! **

**Until next time... **


	13. Ava Rose

**A/N: Once again, you all blow my mind! It means so much to me that you all care so much about my characters and their well-being or hopeful death :) Thanks for all the alerts, favorites, and reviews that you leave me! You have no idea how much it brightens my day!**

**Thanks to the lovely Coachlady1 for her beta work as usual. She's the absolute best!**

**Thanks to my fantastic pre-readers Tiffaninichole and Handsandfingers who are always on the same wavelength with what they think needs changed! I flove you guys so much for your input!**

**Without further ado... here's the long awaited first meeting with Ava! I hope you like it and please don't forget to review! **

**xoxo**

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Chapter 13: Ava Rose

As per my father's request, as soon as the lawyer's office opened Monday, I phoned him to find out what my options were. Mr. Volturi was very straightforward with me and mapped out all of my options very clearly—legal, supervised visitations, unsupervised visitations, joint custody with the adoptive parents, and/or gaining full custody by voiding the open-adoption contract because I hadn't been legally notified of Ava's birth and had never signed away my rights. Of course, the state would require a paternity test, he'd stated. They wouldn't just rely on word of mouth. He told me to think about it and to let him know when I'd made a decision so that he could get the necessary paperwork drawn up.

I was still really confused about everything, though, because I hadn't even met the little girl so how was I supposed to know what I wanted to do.

The next few days flew by very quickly and it was finally the day I would get to meet Ava. Bella had the opening shift at work that morning so the bed was empty when I woke up. My stomach was a fluttering ball of nerves and I really didn't know how I was supposed to make it through the day without totally flying off the handle.

I briefly thought about calling into work but decided against it because at least it'd give me something to occupy my brain with during the day so I didn't become totally obsessed with that night. I showered in records time because ever since Bella and I had taken our physical relationship to the next step, I didn't have to spend my shower time taking care of business, if you know what I mean. I ate some toast and drank the remainder of the coffee before grabbing my keys and heading out the door. After I locked up, I turned to walk down the hallway and spotted Jake walking toward me.

"Hey, dude! What's up?" he called out to me.

"Headed to work, how 'bout you?"

"Just getting back from the gym," he told me.

I stopped at his door next to him. "Do you wanna grab lunch with me today?"

"Yeah, sure,"' he agreed. "Just text me when you find out what time you're taking it and I'll meet you."

"Gotcha! Talk to you later."

"Have a good one, Jasper." He turned to his door and I jogged to my car to make up some time.

The morning at work went by quickly. Before I knew it, it was lunch time, so I met Jake at the Subway which wasn't too far from my office. I filled him in on what had been going on and told him about how my nerves were eating at me just thinking about meeting Ava.

He told me that I'd be fine because I had a ton of support and that he really hoped things went well for me at the meeting. He also said that I should try to keep my temper in check around Maria because it wouldn't be good for me to lose it and scare Ava.

I wasn't sure how I'd keep it in check but I knew a lot of deep breaths and counting to ten were going to happen in order to do so.

We had to go our separate ways after lunch so Jake could get back to whatever it was that he had to do and I could get back to the office to finish my workload and head home. After I returned to work, it didn't take long to get the website done that I'd been working on.

Paul walked up behind my desk. "Hey, got that done already?"

"Yeah, it was pretty simple, just had to fix the HTML and work on the drop down-menu links," I responded, showing him the finished product.

"Wow, that looks awesome dude; they're going to love this. Do you have anything left to finish today?" he asked me.

"I don't think so unless you or Jared need me to do anything for you," I told him, looking around for Jared.

"Nope, I'm good, buddy. Don't you have that meeting tonight with your daughter?" Jared asked from his side of the office.

"Yeah, I'm so nervous. What if I don't know what to do or say?"

"You'll do fine. You're good with your nieces and I'm sure the connection you feel with her will trump any nerves. Instinct will kick in and guide you. I never thought I'd know what to do with a child until I had one of my own." He got up and walked over to join Paul and me. "Hey, why don't you go ahead and leave. You should take a few hours to yourself and get ready. Paul and I can finish up here, right?"

"Are you guys sure? I don't wanna leave with shit to do."

Paul agreed with Jared immediately. "Yeah, go home. We're good here."

After I packed up my desk and had my laptop, I thanked them again before leaving the building.

As I rode the elevator down to the parking garage, I began to realize that maybe there were more people in my life that I could count on than I had previously thought. Seeing as how I had closed myself off to the world, I was blind to the amount of support I'd had to begin with. I'd guarded myself so much that I didn't even let the people who spent the most time with me in on what was going on. Bella was doing an amazing job of helping me open up and realize that not everyone was out to hurt me.

Before I knew it, I was already home and looking through my clothes. What in the hell would be the right thing to wear? Something I could get dirty playing in but nice enough to make a good impression on the adoptive parents. Ultimately, I decided on a pair of dark-wash jeans and a dark green polo but I still had no idea if it was the right outfit.

The next few hours passed by painstakingly slowly but eventually I heard Bella's key in the door so I closed the laptop and got up to greet her.

"Hey, babe. How was work?" I asked her before pulling her into my arms and kissing her hard.

She dropped her keys on the stand by the door and wrapped her arms around my neck, fisting my hair. Her tongue plunged into my mouth and met mine with force, which only spurred me to back her up against the door and grind into her.

She groaned at the contact and pulled me closer for a quick second before letting go of me to breathe.

"Damn, that was a nice hello," she said, drawing in a deep breath.

"Indeed, it was," I agreed then continued to place soft kisses down her neck and she giggled.

"That tickles, Jasper..."

I smiled against her skin, breathing in her scent. The perfume she was wearing only enhanced her natural scent and it made my dick even harder.

"What time do you have to leave?" she asked softly.

"In about twenty minutes," I answered, my lips still grazing her soft skin.

"Then I suggest we stop this for now; I don't want to make you late and it probably wouldn't be a good idea for you to show up sporting wood."

I groaned in acknowledgment. She was right but I really didn't want to stop, so I stole one more sweet kiss from her before letting go.

"I suppose you're right, but, damn it, Bella, you make it hard to resist you." I flashed her my wicked grin and headed into the bathroom to splash some water on my face.

The nerves were really getting the best of me and I felt like puking. I didn't want to see Maria tonight but I knew I needed her there or I'd never get to see Ava. It was a double-edged sword and either way I was going to get cut.

I took in a few deep breaths and realized that at the thought of Maria, any sign that I'd been aroused just a moment before was totally gone.

Once I was as ready as I could be, I left the bathroom and said good-bye to Bella, promising I'd be home soon.

Before I knew it, I was parked in front of the address that Maria had given me and I was freaking out. My hands were shaking and my stomach was doing a series of flip flops while I felt like I was going to hyperventilate.

I was a few minutes early so I had time to try to calm down, but nothing was helping. I closed my eyes and counted to ten, breathing deeply between each number. It was one of my techniques to calm myself down whenever I felt a panic attack coming on and soon I was a little more relaxed.

When my eyes opened, Maria was standing at my car door and I jumped, not expecting to see her there. She started laughing and it pissed me off but I kept my emotions in check as I opened the door.

"A little jumpy are we?" she asked through her giggles.

"Wouldn't you be if you were about to meet the daughter that'd been kept from you for her entire life?" I snarked at her.

That shut her up quickly. "Are you ready?" she asked seriously.

"Let's do the damn thing," I answered.

I followed her up to the front door and waited patiently behind her as she knocked. Just a moment later, the door was opened by a forty-something looking woman with kind eyes and long black hair. "Maria!" The woman greeted her enthusiastically. "Come on in! How are you, dear?" she asked happily.

She walked in the front door, motioning for me to follow her. "I'm doing well, Katherine. How are you doing this week?"

"I'm just fine, sweetie," she replied, eyeing me carefully.

"Katherine, this is Jasper," Maria told her, introducing me. "Jasper, this is Katherine Wilson."

I stuck my hand out to shake hers and she took it willingly. "It's very nice to meet you, ma'am."

"Oh, please," she replied blushing. "Just call me Katherine."

"Alright, Katherine it is," I agreed, not feeling nearly as nervous because this woman was extremely nice with a very comforting aura about her.

"Where's Damon tonight?" Maria asked shifting from one foot to the other in a nervous fashion.

"He's still working, gotta a late shift tonight," Katherine told her before turning to me and appraising me thoroughly. "So, Jasper, Maria tells me that you're Ava's biological father. I can definitely see it; she looks just like you."

"Yes, that's what she tells me too," I answered uncomfortably.

Just then, a spitball of energy with blonde hair and bouncing curls came flying into the room. "Mommy Maria!" she screeched, jumping up into Maria's arms and throwing her arms around her neck tightly.

What I saw in that moment absolutely took my breath away. The picture Maria had given me hadn't even come close to showing just how much she looked like me and exactly how beautiful she truly was. Her blue eyes were shaped exactly like mine and the exact same shade of clear blue. I mean, Ava was my mini-me in female form in every sense of the word. My rapidly beating heart swelled with pride and I couldn't stop smiling as I gazed at her.

"Hello, sweetheart!" Maria cooed, hugging her back. "How was your day?"

"I colored a picture today and Momma Kat let me eat dirt wif worms for my snack!" she answered with a voice that immediately melted my heart.

"Really? That sounds so yummy," Maria told her animatedly.

I felt extremely jealous at that moment; I'd only been in her presence for two minutes and already knew I'd been cheated in the worst possible way. I should have been there for everything, for all of her firsts, her birthdays, Christmases, Fourths of July... and I would have been there had I been given the chance. My heart broke a little at the thought and tears began to well up in my eyes but I held them back.

"Ava," I heard Maria say as I stared at her. "This is Jasper. He's mommy Maria's friend and he wants to play with you today. Would you like that?"

Her eyes got really big with excitement and her smile was huge. "Yeah, Mommy Maria! Will he push me on da swing?" she asked.

"I'm sure he will, but you'll have to ask him yourself."

Ava looked up at me with no visible shyness whatsoever. "Will you push me on da swing?" she asked so sweetly, and I knew in that moment that I could never deny her anything.

"Absolutely, sugar," I agreed instantly. "Lead the way."

She took hold of my hand and pulled me through the kitchen, but at the same time, she took hold of my heart and I knew I'd never be the same again. She already had me wrapped around her finger.

"I sit here and you push me?" she asked pointing to the swing.

I nodded and she reached her arms up to me to be picked up. My heart skipped a beat when she smiled her innocent little smile at me, so I picked her up and sat her down on the swing. Then I gently began to push her. "Weeeeee!" she squealed as she picked up just a little speed. "This is fun!"

I was so glad to have had the experience of being around little girls before, thanks to babysitting my nieces, so I felt very comfortable in the situation. I vaguely heard a door shut and noticed that Maria and Katherine were now sitting outside at the picnic table, talking to each other.

"So, pretty little Ava, what do you like to do?" I asked her, while I continued to push.

"I play wif my dollies and color pictures and watch _Doo Doo Dora_ on da TV," she giggled.

I pushed her for a while longer and just enjoyed the time I had with her while it was light outside. When the sun started to set and it was getting a bit chilly, Katherine called to Ava that it was time to come inside.

"Will you help me get down, Jap-ser?"

"Of course I will, darlin'," I answered, pulling her into my arms from the swing. I went to put her on the ground but she held on tight to my neck with both hands.

"You carry me!" she cried out happily and I did. She wrapped her legs around my waist and rested her head on my shoulder.

I walked back over to the door and Maria held it open for me. There was a look on her face that I couldn't quite place― guilt, sorrow, maybe regret, as she watched me walk through the door carrying our daughter.

_Our daughter_, I thought to myself. It was such a foreign concept to me, but it made my heart melt even more. I was so far gone already that I didn't know how I was supposed to leave tonight and not know when the next time I was going to get to see her was.

"Momma Kat," I heard Ava murmur over my shoulder. "Can Jap-ser come play in my room wif me?"

"Of course he can, sweetheart, but only for a half an hour longer, then it's going to be time for bath and then bed," Katherine told her softly.

"How long is dat?" she asked curiously.

"One episode of _Dora_..."

"O-tay! Let's go!" she said, bouncing in my arms.

"Down the hall, second door on your right," Katherine told me and I thanked her.

I found Ava's room easily and it wasn't hard to tell that she was one spoiled little girl. The room was decorated head to toe in Dora the Explorer. There were toys scattered all over the floor, shelves lined with stuffed animals on the wall, and a closet full of frilly pink and purple clothes.

A small table in the corner was set up like a tea party would be and there was a small toddler bed in the opposite corner, next to the window. Ava wiggled out of my grasp so I set her down on the floor and she tugged at my arm to pull me down next to her.

"Let's play wif my colors," she announced, grabbing two books and a tub full of crayons. We diligently colored in the books, well, I colored and she scribbled, until Maria showed up at the door.

I felt her presence long before I acknowledged it; she'd been watching us for about ten minutes before she spoke up. "Ava, sweetie, it's time for Jasper to leave with Mommy Maria. Would you like to tell him good-bye?" she asked softly.

"Yes, Mommy Maria!" Ava nodded her head furiously in agreement then got up to stand in front of me.

"Thank you for playing wif me today. Will you come and play wif me again?" she asked.

"Of course I will, darlin'; I'll come back whenever you want me to," I told her, a lump beginning to build in my throat.

"O-tay!" She threw herself at my neck and hugged me tightly, so I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed lightly. I inhaled deeply, committing the scent of lavender and laundry soap to memory.

"Good-bye, Ava," I whispered to her, kissing her on the cheek, then picking up the picture she had colored for me

"Bye, Jap-ser," she said, letting go of my neck and stepping to the side.

I got up and followed Maria down the hallway to the living room. "Did you have a good time?" she asked me quietly.

Anger flooded my body when she had the nerve to speak to me. "How dare you?" I asked her so quietly but with rage in my voice.

"What?" she asked me wide-eyed and trembling.

"How dare you keep that little girl from me? It was one thing not knowing about her before today, but now that I've met her and fallen in love, you have no idea how angry I am." My calm voice was betraying my emotions but I knew I couldn't lose it in the house and scare Ava.

Maria opened her mouth to say something but I heard Katherine coming back down the hallway and I told Maria, "We'll discuss this later."

Katherine rounded the corner. "She really likes you, Jasper!" she commented.

I smiled as politely as I could muster. "I really like her, too. When can I see her again?"

"Well, Jasper, Maria usually visits twice a week, but I don't want to cut into her time with Ava, so I think it would be good to keep it to once a week," Katherine told me.

"Absolutely not," I answered immediately. "That is my daughter in there and I will not be limited on the amount of time I can spend with her. I've been kept away from her for long enough and I won't stand for the limitations."

"Well, Jasper, the adoption decree only has a clause in it for visitations with Maria so I think I'm being generous in letting you come to visit once a week," Katherine responded, agitation lining her voice.

"Well, that _adoption decree_ wouldn't even exist if Maria hadn't lied about not knowing who the father was and then proceeded to keep it from me for the past three years, so I would keep that in mind," I advised her.

"Jasper, I'm sorry but all that is beyond my control." She was the one getting angry now. "I'm offering you once a week which is more than I am required to do; take it or leave it."

"I'll take it for now, but this discussion isn't over," I told her, moving toward the door.

Just then I felt a tiny body wrap around my leg, "Please don't go! I don't want Jap-ser to leave!" Ava wailed, alligator tears falling down her cheeks.

I bent down and scooped her up into my arms, wanting to comfort her immediately. She sobbed into my chest and I shushed her reassuringly. "I promise I'll come back next week to play with you. Maybe we can even watch _Dora_ together."

She pulled her head back to look at me and I wiped one of her tears away with my thumb. "Swear?" she asked seriously.

"Cross my heart and hope to die!" I answered, smiling big at her.

"O-tay, we watch _Dora_ next time!" She was happy again as I put her back on the ground.

She ran to hug Maria good-bye and I exited the house without so much as a word to either of them. I was on my way back to my car when I felt a hand grabbing my arm and whirling me around forcefully.

"What do you want, Maria?" I asked angrily.

"Why in the hell were you so rude to Katherine back there?" she asked me with venom in her voice.

"Because there seems to be a conspiracy against me seeing my daughter and it's really starting to piss me off, Maria. How dare she try to tell me that I should be glad she's _allowin_g me to see her once a week? That's fucking ridiculous and you know it! How the hell do you _think_ I should feel right now?" I was shouting at her and I didn't fucking care. My heart felt like it was being ripped out of my chest once again and the pain was excruciating.

"I understand that you're mad, but you're mad at me and not her. She's done nothing but take great care of Ava and I will not have you being rude to her and having her ban us from seeing her at all," Maria snapped at me.

"_Mad_ at you, Maria?" I spat. "I'm fucking _furious_ at you. You kept the biggest thing to happen to me in my life away from me for three years and I've fucking missed everything! Do you understand how cheated I feel right now?"

She started to say something but I cut her off. "Of course, you don't understand how I feel because you were the one who got to be there for all those things, even though you _knew_ that I was her father. I bet _he_ even got to be there for all those things that I missed out on and he is _nothing_ to her! _NOTHIN__G!_"

"Jasper, stop shouting at me. You're going to cause a scene," she replied softly, looking around.

"I don't give a shit, Maria. I just spent the first two hours of my life with my daughter and now I have to leave, just like that. I'm a stranger to her and I'm her father; do you know how much that hurts me? Do you even care at all about what you've done to me?" I asked her, suddenly overwhelmed with the need to punch something.

Maria started crying but I couldn't be bothered to care. "I made a mistake, Jasper; I'm so sorry about everything. It eats away at me every single day but there's nothing I can do to change it now. All I can try to do is make it right from now on and hope you can forgive me someday."

"I can never forgive you for what you've done to me, Maria. You've damaged me in so many ways that it's unreal. I'm leaving now because I don't want to see your face anymore, but you _will_ be hearing from my lawyer."

Before she could reply I jumped into my car and peeled away. I drove aimlessly around Lincoln for half an hour before deciding it was time to go home and talk to Bella about all of this.

I pulled into my usual spot and headed up the elevator, pausing for a short moment in front of my door before unlocking it and walking inside.

My heart faltered momentarily at what I saw when I closed the door. Bella and Jacob were sitting unnecessarily close to one another on the couch, laughing at something on the laptop screen. _What the hell is he doing here with my girlfriend when I'm not home?__ Deja vu?_

My heart began to beat rapidly and my pulse was beating in my head. An unnerving wave of jealousy washed over my body and threatened to pull me under before I realized that Bella was hugging me, asking me what was wrong. _How could he do this to__ me? I thought we were friends._

I couldn't find the words to use so I just walked away emptily.

"Jasper, what's wrong?" she called after me but I just kept walking into the bedroom and slammed the door and crawled into bed, clothes still on, and let the darkness overcome me.

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**So...**

**What'd ya think? Click that button and let me know! :) **

**One more thing, a rec for you all because I know how much you love my recs haha :) **

**Mergers and Acquisitions by the amazing, fantastic, and completely UNFworthy Touchstone67 and Domward'sMistress :) They literally have stolen my heart and I hope you all take the time to read their fic cuz it's seriously amazing! **

**Until next time lovies! **


	14. The Morning After The Night Before

**A/N: *ducks and hides* hey guys... I'm so sorry that it's taken so long to get this out. There's a whole long list of excuses this time. Real life has been kinda shitty for me these past few months. Drama up the wazoo, my parents nasty divorce, and an overall shitty outlook on life for awhile. **

**Then when I finally came back to the story, writer's block took over and killed me. It's literally taken me three weeks to crank this out and it's a short chapter. For that I apologize but we have to get some things squared away.**

**I did write a couple new o/s during my time away from Conflicted Love. One is a Bella/Emmett called Love Story and the other is a Jasper/Edward (friendship/brotherhood not slash) called Sixteen Again. Check em out!**

**As always, thanks to my fabulous beta, Coachlady1 who I visited over Christmas again and already miss a ton, she's the light of my life :) hehe**

**Thanks to my crazy awesome pre-readers Tiffaninichole and Handsandfingers, I couldn't ask for better girls to help me! Also thanks to EarlyBird82 for her quick pre-read to assure me that it wasn't tooooo short LOL Tiff made this shit not suck, so she deserves half the credit for this chapter! Please go check out her new o/s collab Too Much! You can find her under my favorite authors! **

**Alright, in case you've forgotten cuz it's been so long, we last left off when Jasper had just gotten home from seeing Ava for the first time and that nasty fight with maria/katherine and found Bella/Jacob on the couch when he got home... Here's what happened next... **

**Xoxo**

**JL**

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Chapter 14: The Morning After The Night Before

I wasn't sure of the time when I woke up, but it was still dark. I could feel Bella's arms around me, holding me close to her from the back, her face buried in my shoulders and her legs tangled between mine and it felt all wrong. Usually, I was holding her when I woke up, and for a moment I was confused, until the weight of the night before came crashing down on me.

I remembered being upset after having to leave Ava with that woman who was trying to put a limit on the amount of time I could spend with my daughter. I was already pissed and feeling shitty, only to come home to see my girlfriend and my best friend cozied up on my couch.

The scene hit too close to home, and while I rationally knew that they wouldn't betray me like that, in my state of mind, all rationality had momentarily flown out the window. I didn't want to feel that pain, so my brain just automatically shut down.

Looking back, I realized I'd probably overreacted to the situation and should have given them time to explain. I should have stayed to talk it out instead of acting like a giant baby throwing a tantrum and storming out of the room.

Once my eyes adjusted to the dark and I was able to focus on the clock, I noticed it was only four o'clock. I rolled over and pulled Bella close to me, kissing her neck and watching her smile while she slept.

I had just closed my eyes and was on my way back to sleep when I felt Bella stir. Her fingers gripped my back and her lips found mine, catching me off guard for a second.

"Bella..." I breathed quietly. "You're awake?"

"Yeah..." she answered softly. "Look, I don't know what happened last night..."

I had to cut her off immediately before she started to apologize for something that she hadn't done. "I'm really sorry, Bella. I shouldn't have stormed out of the living room like that, I just had a really bad night..."

Her hand pulled my face toward hers as I was trying to explain and she kissed me softly. "Let's not talk about it right now, Jasper. It's too early..."

She yawned rather loudly at that point and we decided to go back to sleep for several more hours. We fell back to sleep, her back to my chest and I felt safe again, with her in my arms.

I woke up around ten and Bella was already out of bed. I realized that I'd never asked her if she had to work so I wasn't sure if she was home or not. I stumbled out of bed and quickly and shed the clothes I'd fallen asleep in. I hurried through a shower and when I was fully dressed again, headed into the kitchen.

Bella was sitting at the table, reading the paper and munching on a bagel. "The coffee is fresh," she informed me, never taking her eyes off the paper.

"Thanks," I replied.

After I poured myself a mug of coffee and made a bowl of cereal, I sat down at the table. The silence was deafening except for the crunching of my cereal and the occasional rumple of the paper as Bella turned the page.

I ate quickly and put my bowl in the sink. "Do you have work today?" I asked her while rinsing out the bowl.

"I'm working until close today; I switched with Meg because Jax has a show tonight that she wanted to go to, so you're on your own tonight." Her voice was so cold and distant that it sent a shiver of worry through my body.

I walked up behind her and wrapped my arms around her shoulders, pulling her close to me. "Baby, what's wrong?"

"Jasper, I know I seemed okay this morning, but the more I think about what happened, the angrier I get. You didn't even try to talk to me last night, and if we can't talk about our problems, then this isn't going to work. You shut me out and I don't even know what I did wrong." She released a long sigh full of frustration.

I grabbed her hand and tugged her out of the chair, guiding her to the couch. We sat down and I told her everything that had happened before I came home. As she listened, I could visibly see her face soften as the anger she had for me left her body, but the anger and resentment she held for Maria was deepening. I think she might have growled when I got to the part of the night where Maria confronted me in front of my car.

"So, after missing the first three years of my daughter's life, they're already trying to keep tabs on how much time I can spend with her. And after my fight with Maria, I drove around for a while until I knew I had to be where you were, so I headed home. I wanted to hold you and talk to you, but when I walked in on you and Jake... you two were sitting so close and... well, it brought back those old memories and I couldn't take it. So I left before I said anything I'd regret," I explained to her, my fingers tangling with hers, thumb rubbing soft circles on her palm.

She was quiet for a short moment before she answered me. "Jasper, I _know_ you have trust issues and, believe me, I get it. But you have to talk things out with me if you want to make this work. I was so confused when you ignored me and Jake... Jasper, Jake isn't Edward. He'd never betray you like that. He was here because he wanted to support you when you came home, but now he's next door feeling like shit."

I knew I needed to get my act together and hearing it from Bella just cemented that fact. I rested my head on the back of the couch and cracked the knuckles in each one of my hands, a nervous habit when I felt bad about something. "God, I feel like such an ass," I grumbled to myself.

Bella looked at her watched and sighed heavily. "I'm really sorry, but I have to get ready for work."

I pulled her into my side and laid my head on top of hers. "Are we okay now?"

"Yes, but let's just talk things out next time, okay? You know what they say, never go to bed mad, even if it means staying up all night. I say that makes a good rule."

"You're right, it does. I'm really sorry, Bella." I kissed her forehead and she got up to head into the bedroom.

I sat there for a while trying to figure out what to do about things. I needed to call my lawyer and get some work done, plus I still needed to apologize to Jake for being such an ass to him.

I don't know how long I sat there staring off into space, but soon I was pulled back to reality by Bella.

"'Kay, baby, I'm leaving. You sure you're going to be alright today?" she asked with a teasing smile.

"I'll be fine," I swore to her, and with a hug and a kiss, she was out the door.

I spent most of the afternoon finishing up a few things that Paul had emailed me about that morning. I truly loved that I was able to get work done from home when I didn't feel like going into the office. I had let Jared and Paul know about the rough night I had and they were very supportive about the whole deal.

Halfway through my project, I found my mind wandering to the issue with Jacob and I couldn't take it anymore, so I grabbed my phone and sent him a text.

***Hey, man, wanna grab some dinner later so we can talk? I'm really sorry... -Jasper***

It only took a few seconds before my phone buzzed back at me.

***Yeah, Lazlos at five? -JB***

***Walking or driving? -Jasper***

***Meet me there, I'm not home.***

***'Kay, see ya then. -Jasper***

After that, it was easy to finish my work. Time flew rather fast and before I knew it, I was walking into Lazlos scanning the room for Jake. I spotted him sitting in the back corner booth and quickly made my way to where he was.

I could literally feel his intense stare as I slid into the booth and I decided not to waste any time starting my apology. "Look, man, I was out of line last night and I'm sorry. I know you wouldn't fuck me over like that. I was just in a bad state of mind and when I walked in on you two, it was like déjà fucking vu."

Jake's face softened a bit, I already knew it was going to be hard for him to stay mad at me; he was too nice to be mad for long. "That's what was fucked up, Jasper. I'm your best friend and she's your girl. You should know us better than that, but you assumed the worst."

The waitress came and took our order and as soon as she was gone, I jumped right back in. "I know it's fucked up, but that's just how my mind works. I'm new to this whole friendship thing, but I'm really trying here. It's just hard sometimes."

Jake's expression went blank and I knew what that meant; I'd seen it many times before. He was thinking and I knew it might take a minute for him to respond, so I picked up my beer and drank it. Three gulps and it was gone so I motioned for the waitress to bring me another one.

"Okay, here's what I think," Jake said suddenly and it startled me a bit. "I was never really mad at you about the whole thing. Hurt? Yes. But never mad. What Edward was to you, that was not friendship, because a true friend would never treat you like that. So, with that being said, we're good. Now, I'm done being all girly and shit for the night."

"Thanks, dude."

Our food arrived shortly after that and we ate. Jake asked me about the night before and I began to tell him everything. He was so excited to hear about Ava and I knew my face was lighting up every time I talked about her; she already owned me. When we got to the part about my argument with Katherine and Maria, he got pissed. Jake was always a passionate person and he cared deeply about his friends, so I had to calm him down and assure him that I would win this battle, I had the law on my side.

After I finished the story, I asked him for his advice because I was so confused on what to do. I told him about my concerns and how I knew what I wanted to do but I wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do for Ava. I wanted to bring her home to me, to be with her every day. And I wanted to do it as soon as motherfucking possible. But she didn't know me and I didn't want to traumatize her by ripping her out of the only home she'd ever known. Getting to know Ava would take time and I was worried about what would happen if I took too long to make a move.

Jake said I should do whatever I felt was right for my daughter, because even if I hadn't known about her, that's what she was, _my_ daughter. He also said it might take some time for me to figure out exactly what the right thing to do was and told me that it was okay not to make any rash decisions. He said to talk it over with Bella and my family and he knew they would help me figure out what was right.

I knew he was right and that I should hold off on calling the lawyer until I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I paid for dinner and we headed back home. On the way there, we decided to play some one-on-one before it got dark and fuck if Jacob didn't beat me for the first time ever.

He accused me of letting him win and I assured him he had won on his own. My mind may have been a bit preoccupied but he'd legitimately beaten me, so I invited him up to the apartment for a celebratory beer and while we were drinking, Bella came home from work.

I could tell she was satisfied to see Jake and me sitting there laughing by the smile that erupted over her beautiful face as she walked in the door. "Hey, gorgeous," I greeted her, smiling like a fool.

"Hey, baby!" She walked over to me, plopped herself down on my lap and kissed me.

"How was work?" I asked when she pulled away.

"Eh, it was okay. Tiff was sick today so I was pretty bored the whole time." She looked back and forth between Jake and myself before asking, "So, I take it you two worked things out?"

Jake spoke up. "Yeah, we're good, and on that note I'm heading home."

"Thanks for everything man, seriously."

He threw his head back and laughed casually, and I knew he was still gloating about his win. "No prob, bob. Text me tomorrow or something and maybe I can school your ass on the court again," and with that, he was out the door.

Bella looked at me incredulously. "Jake beat you in basketball tonight?"

"Yeah, seriously, too. I swear I didn't let him win."

"Well, damn." She started laughing at me, too, and I decided it was time for a little punishment, so I grabbed her sides and started tickling her.

"You think that's funny, do you?" I asked, ghosting my fingers along her rib cage and down to her thighs where I knew she was extra ticklish. She was giggling hard and breathing erratically before she cried "uncle" and I let her go.

She jumped on top of me, straddling me and pinning me to the couch. "Oh, you're in for it now, baby."

"Ooooh, I'm really scared," I joked with her. She reached down and started to unbutton my shirt, while wiggling her hips on top of me. It was sexy as hell and had me hard before she could get my shirt off.

She giggled again and leaned down to kiss my chest. "Someone is happy to see me tonight."

"Baby, I'm happy to see you every night."

Bella looked up at me and smirked before continuing to kiss her way down my chest. As she licked, sucked, and nipped at my skin, my groans couldn't be contained anymore. "God, baby, that's feels so good..."

I could feel the smile cross her lips as she kissed me right above my navel. "C'mon, Jasper," she whispered in the sexiest voice I've ever heard as she winked at me. "Let's go to bed..."

In that moment, I could think of nothing but getting Bella in my bed; the rest could wait 'til morning.

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	15. A Perfect Day

**A/N: *ducks* So I know it's been awhile I know... I have more excuses but y'all don't want to hear them. Things in my real life have been absolutely crazy and honestly I haven't felt like writing until just a few days ago. **

**All my usual shoutouts and thanks to my fantabulous pre-readers Tiffaninichole and handsandfingers for their quick and wonderful work and to Coachlady1 for her big 'ole brain working overtime to fix my crap! These ladies rock my world and I owe them so much. **

**I've taken on two blog jobs! I'm the new One-Shot Rec girl over at the twi-muses blog which posts on Thursdays and I'll be starting as the Tuesday Slash Rec girl on the Major's Army this upcoming week! Put them on alert so you can find out what wonderful stories I've been reading and recc'ing to you all! **

**Last week, a very very dear friend of mine lost his life unexpectedly and it has altered me to my very core. Jacksonmccoy was one of the absolute best people in the world and I loved him very much. As one of my best friends and biggest supporters he will forever be a part of me and my writing and a part of me is gone with him forever. Jack, this chapter is dedicated to you and the amazing person you were. I love you, I miss you so much... I'll be seeing you! Rest In Peace Dear Friend **

**xoxo**

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Chapter 15: A Perfect Day

The next two months flew by quickly. I had met up to talk with my family the weekend after my first meeting I had with Ava and they helped me figure out what I should do. I was well aware that I wanted full custody of my daughter at some point. However, just as Jake and Emmett had pointed out to me, such a drastic change could traumatize her. My father suggested that I call Mr. Volturi and have the papers drawn up immediately, minus the date, so they'd be at my disposal whenever I took this case to court.

I also kept up my weekly meetings with Ava at Katherine and Damon's and Maria continued to show up every week also. Ava and I were getting to know each other so well and she loved being with me. I always knew I loved kids but I never realized how it felt to be so completely owned by one little person until I got to know Ava better.

It made me sad to know that I had missed out on all of her major firsts, but once Katherine and Damon warmed up to me a bit, they made copies of all their home videos from when she was little and gave them to me. It was a small gesture, but it was one that I appreciated more than I could ever express to them.

Ava had the wildest imagination and told me crazy stories every time I went over. We always ate dinner and then played outside for a while before going into her room and coloring, reading or watching _Dora_. I'd often catch Maria standing at the door, watching us with a wistful look in her eyes. It almost made me sad for her... until I'd remember that she'd brought this on herself by not only cheating on me but by hiding my child and giving her up for adoption without my consent. She could deal with her regret on her own because she was NEVER going to get my sympathy.

Bella had signed up for classes already and worked out a new schedule at her job so she could do both and I was totally happy for her.

It was the beginning of August and her classes were scheduled to start in two weeks. Bella was getting anxious and nervous all at the same time. I had just gotten home from work one day and found her sitting on the couch with a miserable look on her face.

"Hey, you, why so sad?" I walked over to the couch and bent down in front of her, placing my hands on her knees.

"Jasper, I got my dorm assignment today." She sighed dramatically, and I couldn't help but chuckle, so she smacked me with the stack of paper in her hands.

"This isn't funny," she insisted with a pouty tone. "I don't want to live on campus anymore."

"Well, I don't want you to live on campus either so why don't you just stay here? I'm sure your roommate won't mind if you aren't there most of the time."

"There are campus activities I'll be required to attend and the dorm meetings are mandatory. THIS SUCKS!" she cried out exasperatedly.

I pulled her into me and hugged her tightly because I really didn't want her to see the smirk on my face. After having lived with her for the past few months, I knew exactly what was causing her whiny pouty time and I didn't want to take the brunt of that monthly visit. "We'll figure it out, babe," I promised and then kissed the top of her head.

That seemed to please her and she went back to filling out whatever paperwork she had been occupied by when I came home. I went to the spare room to work out and then to shower and get ready for my visit with Ava.

I was really excited about that visit because I had gone out and bought her a new _Dora the Explorer_ learning computer and a few outfits just because and I couldn't wait to give them to her.

I went back into the living room and Bella was sprawled out on her stomach with a bunch of papers surrounding her. "Hey, what are you up to?" I asked, grinning when she startled a bit.

"Trying to get all this paperwork finished and then I'm going to cook dinner. Jake is coming over to keep me company since you'll be gone; we might play some Mario Kart after we're done eating."

She pushed herself up off the floor and wrapped her arms around my neck. I had long since gotten over my issues with Jacob and Bella and was happy that she was going to have company while I was gone. I always felt bad leaving her here but if I wanted Maria to respect my wishes and keep Edward away from Ava, which I was trusting that she had, then I had to hold up my end of the deal and leave Bella at home also. I figured she would get her chance soon enough to be a part of Ava's life and judging by the rapid progress in the plans I was in the process of finalizing, that chance would be coming very soon.

"I'm gonna head out, okay?" I leaned in and kissed her lips and her forehead, then whispered in her ear. "Kick Jake's ass for me tonight."

She giggled and I knew her pouty mood was long gone. "Don't worry. I always do."

I walked out the door and was soon pulling up in front of Katherine and Damon's house, gifts in hand. Maria's car was nowhere to be seen and I found that quite odd.

I walked up to the door and knocked, then waited patiently for it to open. I heard tiny little footprints, which sounded as if they were running to the door, and very quickly the door swung open and there was a little girl flying into my arms.

"Jap-ser!" she cried loudly in my ear as she hugged me tightly.

The packages fell from my hand as I caught her and twirled her around. "Hey, sweetheart!"

I heard Damon clear his throat as he appeared in the doorway. "Somebody missed you." He chuckled lightly.

"Uh-huh!" Ava nodded her head and then wiggled out of my arms looking curiously at the packages on the ground. "Did you bring presents for me?"

"I did," I answered and picked them up. "Do you want to see what they are?"

"YESSSS!" she screamed loudly and ran into the living room.

"Come on in," Damon told me as he held the door open for me. "She's been so excited all day today."

"Jap-ser, will you come sit by me!" she pleaded as she bounced on the couch cushion.

I laughed to myself because she reminded me so much of myself at that age with so much energy. "I'm coming, darlin'!" I told her and made my way to the couch.

Just then, Katherine came rushing around the corner, "Damon, my mother just called, she fell down her steps and we need to get over there right now."

"What about Jasper and Ava?" he asked in a very hushed tone. "We can't exactly cancel on him now; he's already here."

I probably shouldn't have been listening to their private conversation but I was not about to go home after just getting there. I tried to engage Ava in small talk while not being obvious that I was eavesdropping.

"Well, Maria's not coming tonight. She called me earlier and she has the flu, but I'm not kidding, Damon, we have got to go," she urged him quietly.

"Let's just let Jasper watch her, Katherine. She's comfortable around him and I think it'll do them both some good. I don't want to tell her she can't see him tonight."

"Okay, Damon. That's fine; I'm going to the car." She headed toward the door, stopping briefly to say hello to me and then hurried outside.

Damon came around to the front of us. "Uhm... there's been an emergency and we have to go. Maria won't be coming and I'd hate to cut your time short—can you watch Ava?"

"Absolutely, that would be wonderful!" I agreed quickly before adding, "I hope everything is okay."

"Thank you so much, Jasper. There's food in the cupboards so just throw something together for dinner," he instructed and then bent down in front of Ava. "Hey, sweetie, Jasper is going to watch you tonight while Mommy and Daddy go out and take care of Gramma, okay?"

"Okay, Daddy!" she exclaimed and then got really serious for a second. "Will he let me eat cookies and put me in the bathtub?"

"I'm sure he will if you ask him nicely, baby girl. Daddy's gotta go so give me a hug," he told her and she did quickly.

Then he left and she turned to me with wide eyes. "Can I open my presents now?"

"Of course, you can. Which one do you want to open first?"

She picked the smaller package and ripped it open. Her nose wrinkled up in disapproval as she tossed the clothes to the side. "I want toys!"

I couldn't help but smile because of course, a little kid wants toys but the clothes were adorable. "I know you do, but won't you look so pretty in your new princess dress?" I asked her and she smiled.

"Duh! I look pretty in all my clothes, Jap-ser!" She giggled and pointed at the big one. "Can I have that one now?"

I handed her the bigger package and she tore the paper off it in record time. "A _Dora_ 'puter! Will you open it?"

"Sure, sweetheart." I took the package from her and opened it up then inserted the batteries I had in my pocket and turned it on, handing it back to her.

My girl was proving to me every time I saw her just how smart she was. She already knew her ABC's and could recognize several of the letters when they were shown to her. She sang the songs along with the instructor and we played with that thing for at least thirty minutes straight before she asked me, "Jap-ser will you make me sumpin' to eat?"

"What would you like me to make you?" I asked her as I picked her up and we headed into the kitchen.

"Hot dogs and macaroni wif cheese," she answered cheerily.

I set to work cooking our dinner and she went back into the living to watch _SpongeBob _until it was done. "Ava, sweetheart, dinner is ready."

Her tiny little footprints echoed through the hallway as she came running and climbed up into her chair. I set her plate down in front of her and sat down next to her.

"Thank you for my dinner!" She leaned up and kissed my cheek before sitting back on the booster.

We ate and talked about her favorite cartoons and kids shows, what she had been doing at daycare, about her friends, and it was a good dinner. I realized quickly that would be what having custody of her would be like every night.

After dinner was over and I had the kitchen cleaned and the dishwasher loaded, we went into her room to play with her toys. We had a tea party with her stuffed animals and I could tell she was starting to get tired.

"Can I take my bath now, Jap-ser?" she asked as she yawned widely. "One wif bubbles?"

I agreed and ran some water for her then put her in the tub. I was silently thanking Emmett and Rose for having little girls and for my knowing how to take care of one because otherwise the night would have been extremely awkward for me.

While Ava was playing with her toys in the tub filled with bubbles, I soaped up her hair and we both giggled shamelessly when I turned it into a Mohawk. Her adorableness was so hard to get over and I loved every minute that I was getting alone with her.

She looked up at me from under her lashes and smiled wide. "Will you take a picture of me? Pretty please?"

"Anything you want, doll," I assured her as I pulled out my phone.

"Cheeeeeeeeeeese..." She grinned big and cocked her head to the side slightly and I snapped the picture.

"I want to see me!" I turned the phone around and showed her. "See, I am pretty, Jap-ser!" I couldn't help but chuckle at the scene. "Time to wash the soap out now! I need a washrag to cover my eyes."

I handed her a dry rag and rinsed the soap out of her hair then pulled the plug and lifted her out of the suds. The towel was sitting on the shelf next to me and I wrapped her up in it tightly to keep her warm as we headed back into her bedroom.

Once she was fully dry and in the pajamas she'd picked out, I tucked her into bed and read her three bedtime stories. I wasn't sure how many she normally got, but there was no way I could look into her eyes and tell her no.

We were nearing the end of the last book when I could see her eyelids drooping. I finished the last sentence and closed the book. "Jap-ser," she whispered to me.

"Yes, darlin'?" I answered her as I stroked her cheek with my thumb.

"I wuv you." Her eyes fluttered shut and tears began to sting mine. My heart began racing at hearing those three little words come out of her tiny lips.

I kissed the top of her head and told her I loved her back, words I hadn't said to anyone but my immediate family in over four years and my heart was full of emotion.

I was walking out of Ava's room when I heard the front door open. I met Katherine and Damon in the living room.

"How is she?" Katherine asked me; she looked worn out.

"She's sleeping," I told her quietly. "How's your mother?"

"She'll be okay but she dislocated her hip so we had to get her settled in at the hospital. They are keeping her overnight," she explained to me.

Damon walked over to me and extended his hand so I shook it. "Thank you so much for watching Ava and taking such good care of her so we could take care of this. It means a lot to us that we could trust you with her and not worry all night."

"It was my pleasure," I assured him quickly.

There was an awkward pause in the room and it began to get uncomfortable.

"So... I'm gonna head out. I'll see you guys next Wednesday?" I sort of questioned, always afraid that the answer was going to be different.

"Of course," Katherine answered me back. "Thanks again, Jasper."

"It was no problem; she was so good." Once I got to the still-open front door, I called back as I walked out, "Good night!"

I smiled like a crazy person all the way home and as soon as I walked in the door I pulled Bella into my arms. I was full of happiness and I wanted to share it with her.

"C'mere, baby," I said as I cupped her face and kissed her.

"You're in a good mood," she commented after she pulled away gasping for air. Normally, when I came home I was not always so happy because my last interactions would be with Maria and I'd be sad that I had to leave Ava.

"Tonight really opened my eyes, Bella." I gave her a play-by-play of the evening's events and explained to her how much it meant to me to spend the entire night alone with my daughter.

Once I got to the end of the night, Bella actually squealed in excitement for me. "Oh, my God! Jasper, that's amazing."

"I know it is. I love her so much, Bella, and I can't wait to have her home," I said out loud and mentally slapped myself for saying that. I didn't want to give too much of my master plan away.

"So you've decided to bring her home?" Bella asked curiously.

"That was the plan all along and tonight I realized what could be like every day. It was perfect and honestly I can't wait to do it all the time." I knew I was rambling but didn't really care anymore. "Do you want to see the picture she made me take of her in the bathtub?"

Bella's face lit up. "Sure!"

I pulled out my phone and showed it to her. "Oh, that's perfect! How adorable is she?"

"She is perfect!" I sighed. "So, how was your night with Jake?"

"It was good, he wanted to wait till you got home, but it was getting late and he said he had an early morning so he left and said he'll text you tomorrow."

"Ah, glad you guys had fun!"

I was feeling really good, so good in fact, that I swept Bella off her feet and carried her bridal style into the bedroom. She was giggling and squealing as laid her down on the bed. "You're so beautiful," I told her as I looked deeply into her eyes.

"You're quite the looker yourself," she replied back to me, pulling my face to hers and kissing me lightly. "Now, let's get you ready for bed."

As soon as we were in bed and under the covers, Bella tucked herself into her usual spot in my side with her left leg thrown over mine, my arm under her head, lightly tracing patterns on her arm.

I was nearly asleep when I heard Bella whisper, "It's really easy, ya know?"

"Hmmm?" I asked sleepily.

"Loving you..."

I held my breath, not knowing how to respond. I had strong feelings for Bella, but felt that it was just too soon to make such permanent declarations.

"I don't expect you to say it back to me, Jasper. I just wanted you to know." She kissed my chest, right over my heart, and sighed contentedly. Minutes later, I felt her breathing even out and knew she had fallen asleep.

My mind was racing and hours passed before I was able to fall asleep, but when I did, there was a smile etched on my face. The two most important girls in my life had told me they loved me.

It had been the perfect day.

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**Have one quick story to rec this time: Since by MizzHyde... it's Jasper/Edward/Bella triangle with twists and turns and uber hot sexing! It's been pwning me since the beginning and it keeps getting better! Go read and leave reviews... lots of reviews! and don't forget to tell my love I sent you! *hugs* You can find the link in my faves!**

**Don't forget to review and let me know what you think! Until next time... **


	16. A Wonderful Surprise

**A/N: Okay, I'm so sorry it's taken me this long to update. I have no good excuse really except that I had a bad case of fic A.D.D. and have been working on like four different one-shots that are all half-finished and one that is completely finished and I've posted. It's a Paul/Jake slash and it's sad but I have to admit it's one of my favorite pieces I've ever written. I'm also working on three blogs doing recs so that takes up a bit of my time but I love every minute of it!**

**Because I wanted to get this out to you as fast as I could once I finished it, I did not get a chance to send this to my pre-readers, so you can't blame tiffaninichole and handsandfingers if it sucks, that's all on me! Tiff has recently made it into the Jasper/Bella over 1k reviews c2 with two of her fabu fics, Dodgeball and Bella's Dirty Notebook. Check them out if you haven't yet because they rock hard!**

**I did however have it beta'd by the fantabulous coachlady1 as always and I have to take a second to pimp out her new story. It was a hella long o/s that she entered and won a contest for and she's broken it up into about thirteen shorter chapters to make it easier to read! It's called Intrigue and Intimacy and features sexy as hell FBIward… need I say more really? **

**It's been a long couple months and I have to thank a couple people for really just being there for me anytime of the day or night when I needed them, mizzhyde and livinginadw have been wonderful friends and so so supportive! My amazingly beautiful future wife Lindz26 for just being there to talk to listen to distract me with her endeavors *giggle* She's the best. **

**It goes without saying the tiff and coach are the best friends in the world and they are always there for me, which I never take for granted!**

**But most of all, I want to thank you all for sticking with me when it takes me over two months to update! You remind me gently once in a while that I need to get in gear and that helps greatly!**

**And thus ends my epic a/n… please enjoy a bit of the story from Bella's POV **

**xoxo**

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Chapter 16: A Wonderful Surprise

BPOV

When I woke up that next morning, my mind instantly flashed to the moments before I fell asleep. Did I really basically tell Jasper that I love him?

"_It's really easy, ya know?" I whispered, my heart thundering in my chest._

"_Hmmm?" he mumbled quietly._

"_Loving you..."_

_I'd felt him sharply intake a breath and knew I'd caught him off guard. "I don't expect you to say it back to me, Jasper. I just thought you ought to know."_

Yeah, I guess I had but honestly, I couldn't help it. He'd been so up and down in those weeks beforehand, so to see him so happy and animated when he came home from his visit with Ava that night made me ecstatic for him. I'd known that those feelings for him were developing probably since the first night I'd met him. I had felt an instant connection to him and it'd only grown with every passing day.

He was such a loving and wonderful person despite the fuckery that'd gone on in his past and it was only a matter of time before it slipped out of my mouth.

I looked up and Jasper was still sound asleep so I slipped out of bed as quietly as I could and took my phone into the kitchen. I wanted to call Alice and talk to her because I missed her so much. We had originally planned on spending the entire summer together before everything went down and I ended up staying in Lincoln.

The girls at work were wonderful but they just weren't Alice and it made me homesick thinking about it. Plus, I hadn't seen my father since Christmas, and eight months is a long time to go without seeing each other.

I dialed Alice's number and she answered on the fourth ring in a very sleepy voice, "Bella... it's six-thirty; you'd better be dying."

I had sort of forgotten about the time difference so I felt a twinge of guilt for waking her up. "Well, it's nice to hear from you too, Boo." I giggled at using the nickname I'd given her.

"I'm sorry... I was out late. What's up?" she asked a little bit less hostile.

"I missed you and needed to talk to you about something," I divulged promptly.

Alice had a sort of sixth sense when it came to me and she practically already knew what I needed to talk to her about. Her voice immediately perked up. "Tell me what's going on, Bells. Is it about Jasper?"

"Yeah, it is. He went to visit his daughter last night and when he came home, he was so happy. I was so excited for him to have had such a good time with her. While we were lying down, about to fall asleep…" I paused for a moment and I could distinctly hear Alice's sharp intake of breath.

"What, Bella?" she shouted into the phone. I had to remove the phone from my ear for a moment before placing it back to where Alice could hear me.

"I kinda, sorta told Jasper that I love him last night…"

The shrill squeal that Alice let out practically busted my eardrum but I knew it was a happy noise. I was afraid that she was going to tell me that it was too soon and that I was a fool for telling him that I loved him when I know he was incapable of loving me back right then.

"Bells, that's so awesome! I'm so happy for you!" she told me excitedly. Hearing her call me Bells again made me even sadder. I'd really missed her, and talking to her only made me more homesick.

"Thanks, Boo…" A single tear slid down my face.

"So how is everything else going? You getting excited to head back to school?" she asked me.

"I guess; I got my schedule and the course load this semester is going to take its toll on me, but it'll be worth it in the end."

"Well, I'm glad you have a positive outlook on the situation," she affirmed. "I really miss you, Bells..."

"I miss you too, Boo," I replied just as Jasper walked around the corner and cocked his eyebrow at me in question.

"Alice," I mouthed to him and he just nodded his head in understanding then walked over to the fridge and grabbed the eggs.

"Hey, I gotta go for now but we'll talk soon," I promised.

"'Kay, Bells; I love you," she told me.

"I love you, too. Bye, Boo." I hung the phone up and was caught off guard by my Adonis boy, spinning me around and pinning me up against the counter, kissing me breathless.

When he pulled back, allowing me to breathe, he peppered kisses along my jaw line and down my neck. "Good morning to you, too," I whispered, not sure my voice would hold up.

He wrapped his arms around my waist and held me close for a moment, before replying, "Thank you for last night, Bella. It means more to me than I can tell you, and I hope you know I care deeply for you, too. I just can't go there yet."

"I know, baby," I assured him. "I'm okay with that; I just wanted you to know."

The smile on his face lit up the room and he finished making breakfast for us while I got ready for work. We ate in relative silence, just reveling in the contentment that we had with each other.

Work passed by excruciatingly slowly, mostly because I was excited to get home to my man. We were going to have the whole weekend to ourselves and it was one of the last we'd have without my weekends being filled with homework until Fall Break. I wasn't about to waste a second of our alone time.

I rushed home after my shift to find a handwritten note from Jasper pinned to the bedroom door. It said, "_Pack a bag for the weekend and be ready by 3:30. I'll be right back! –Jasper" _

I had to re-read the note twice before I comprehended what it said. My stomach fluttered a bit with anxiety at not knowing what was going on but I was excited nonetheless. It was a quarter after three already, so I grabbed my duffel bag out of the closet and began to pack. I had no idea where we were going or what we were doing, so I packed a couple pairs of jeans and a pair of black dress pants, some t-shirts and a couple dress shirts, one dinner dress, and of course, the sexiest lingerie I could find in my closet, because you never knew when it would come in handy. I packed the rest of my necessities, toiletries, and several pairs of shoes. I felt like such a girl, but with absolutely no details on our destination, I had to make sure I was prepared for anything.

Jasper showed up right on time with a humungous smile plastered on his face. "Are you ready to go, darlin'?"

"I think so…" I told him, going over a mental checklist to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything. "Where are we going?"

The mischievous grin returned to his face and he just shook his head. "Nuh-uh… No way am I telling you now. It's a surprise, so let's go."

He threw my bag over his shoulder, grabbed my hand and led me to his car. We drove out toward the east side of town, where I hadn't been before so I was really confused, but watched carefully for any sort of clue as to where we were headed.

Soon, the traffic picked up and we were heading down a road with a lot of signs for parking lots. I realized quickly that we were pulling into a long-term parking lot at the Lincoln airport.

"We're flying somewhere?" I asked him, giddy with excitement.

"Yup!" he answered, popping the trunk and pulling out two bags. He must have stashed his in there before I got home.

"Will you tell me where yet?"

There was a glimmer of satisfaction in his eyes at knowing something I didn't. "C'mon, babe, we don't want to miss our flight."

He was avoiding the question, which meant he was close to giving in and didn't want to. I followed him to the building, doubling my steps in an effort to keep up with his pace. We got to the check-in counter, and he gave the employee our IDs and a print off that I assumed had our travel info on it. He also had our bags checked and sent down the conveyor belt.

"Okay, here are your IDs back and your tickets. Take them to the terminal once you get through security and they will give you your boarding passes. Good luck and have a safe trip!" the woman instructed enthusiastically as she looked Jasper up and down appreciatively.

"Thanks, _we_ sure will!" Jasper countered, wrapping his arm tightly around my waist and smirking at the woman behind the counter. "Let's go, baby." I smiled sweetly at the lady and we took off down the hallway.

We made it through security rather easily as it was a smaller airport and then straight to Terminal C-1. Once we got there, I searched diligently for a sign or board to tell me where the destination was. Hanging over the boarding pass desk, I looked up and saw exactly what I was looking for: _Seattle, Washington._

My eyes got huge and Jasper's smile got even bigger, if that were possible. "Is this real? Are you serious?" I whispered as tears streaming down my face.

"Yes, Bella, it's real. I could see how much you missed Alice this morning and I know missing your father has been weighing on you a lot recently. I wanted to give you this because you've given me so much over the past few months, so I pulled this together while you were at work." He kissed my forehead and took our tickets up to the counter to exchange for boarding passes.

"Do they know we're coming?" I asked him.

"Alice does; your father doesn't. I checked with Alice this morning after you left for work to make sure it would be okay. She's excited to see you." Jasper chuckled lightly. "Well, excited is quite the understatement to her reaction."

I giggled too. "I can imagine!"

The plane boarded shortly after and we were on our way. I was too excited to sleep but Jasper was out within minutes, so I pulled the book I carried around in my purse out and read for most of the flight.

As soon as we landed in Seattle, we went through baggage claim and headed to the car rental place. I slept all the way to Forks and before I knew it, we were pulling up in front of my father's house. I was literally bouncing with excitement as we climbed out of the car and I ran to the front door.

Charlie's police cruiser was sitting in the front yard so I knew he was home. I threw the door open and ran inside. "Dad, where are you?" I shouted as I checked the kitchen and the living room, only to find them empty.

"DAD!" I shouted again loudly, and at that second, he stumbled out of his bedroom, rubbing his eyes and looking surprised.

"Bells?" he questioned, squinting at me before a huge smile overtook his face as I tackled him into the wall behind him, hugging him tightly. He caught me with a big, "Ummpf."

"Surprise!" I told him, smiling widely trying to hold back the tears. "I missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too, Bells! What are you doing here?" he asked, squeezing me tightly and continuing with the questioning. "I wasn't expecting you. How did you afford the trip?"

He lightened his grip and I stepped back, remembering that I had left Jasper out by the car as I took off inside. "Jasper surprised me this afternoon with the trip; he's getting the bags from the car."

I started back down the hall toward the front door just as Jasper walked inside with the luggage. He put it down by the stairs and walked over to stand next to me.

"Dad, this is Jasper; Jasper, my father, Charlie." I motioned back and forth toward each, introducing them properly.

Jasper stuck his hand out and Charlie shook it. "It's nice to meet you, sir."

"Please, just call me Charlie; it's nice to finally meet you, too, son."

We went into the living room and sat up all night talking. It had been so long that even with the weekly phone calls, there was so much to catch up on. Jasper answered all Dad's questions easily; they got along rather well, discussing sports and fishing, and loads of other "guy stuff."

I must have fallen asleep at some point during their conversation because when I woke up Saturday morning, I was tucked in next to Jasper in my old room. I got up and showered quickly, letting Jasper sleep until I was done, then I climbed back into bed with him and kissed him until he woke up.

"Now that's a wake-up call," he mumbled, grinning sleepily.

"Shower time for you; I'll go make breakfast!" I told him and bounded down the stairs.

It was so weird to be back in my childhood home after so many months of not being there, but everything was still in its rightful place and it honestly looked like the pots and pans hadn't been used much.

I put on some coffee and went to work making a breakfast casserole that I remembered my dad loved. Before long, Jasper and my father had congregated in the kitchen and I'd already texted Alice to tell her we'd arrived.

I swear within five minutes after I texted Ali, she was running through the front door screaming my name. We collided with each other hard and held on tightly for what seemed like forever before letting go. I introduced her to Jasper and we all ate breakfast then sat there talking for a while.

Eventually, Jasper and my father retreated to the living room to watch some sort of baseball game on the big screen while Alice and I remained in the kitchen catching up.

"So, honestly, how do you like living in Lincoln?" she asked me, raising her eyebrow in question.

"I love it… my job is great, the girls I work with are awesome, the university is top notch, and, of course, being with Jasper is huge bonus."

"Do you miss living here at all?"

I had to think of the easiest way to answer without hurting her feelings. "I miss you, Boo, and I miss my dad, but honestly, I don't really miss living in Forks."

"It's really tough with you gone, Bells," Alice confided in me. "I wish you still lived here; I miss my best friend."

"I know; it's hard to be away from you, too. You're more like my sister than anything else." I got up and began to clear the dishes from the table; the mood was getting too heavy for my happy vacation time.

I filled the sink with water and began to wash the dishes. Alice hopped up on the counter next to the sink. "So, tell me all about your apartment and your friends."

I told her all about my job and the girls I worked with and then I began to show her some pictures I had on my phone of the apartment.

As I was scrolling through the pictures, one of Jasper and Jake sitting on the couch during one of our nights of excessive drinking popped up. "Daaaaaamn, girl, who's that?" Alice asked me, grabbing the phone and looking at it closer.

"That's Jake; he's Jasper's best friend and lives in the apartment next door," I told her, grinning like a fool.

"He's fucking gorgeous…"

I grabbed my phone back from her and teased her, "You may wanna wipe up that bit of drool that's pooling at the corner of your mouth."

"What?" she asked innocently. "I can appreciate a fine piece of man if I want, can't I?"

"Of course, you can. He only lives halfway across the country from you," I teased her.

"Dude, give me his number," she demanded and I couldn't tell if she was serious or joking with me.

"You're gonna have to ask Jasper about that," I told her, not wanting to give out Jake's number without permission.

"Oh, Jaaaaas-per," she hollered in her sweet, sing-songy voice. "Would you come in here for a moment, puh-lease?"

He appeared in the doorway with his wicked, charming grin on his face a second later. "How can I help you beautiful ladies?"

"Weeellllll," she began. "Your girlfriend was just showing me some pictures on her phone, and I came across that gorgeous friend of yours, Jake. I was kinda, sorta hoping that maybe you'd give me his phone number…" She pushed her bottom lip out in a pout to seal the deal; it'd always been really hard to say no to Alice.

Jasper chuckled and pretended to be deep in thought for a minute before he countered, "How about I give Jake your number and let him get hold of you?"

The smile that accompanied his offer was panty dropping and Alice couldn't resist. "Okay, deal!" she agreed.

The rest of the afternoon was spent just relaxing and hanging out with three of the people who meant more to me than anything. Jasper and my dad were getting along really well, which was relieving.

To be honest, I think at first my dad was just so happy that I was there that he had to like Jasper for bringing me back, but the more they talked to each other, the more I could sense that he really liked him.

Alice sprang a surprise dinner gathering with some of my old high school friends on me about four-thirty and sent us upstairs to get ready.

Before I knew it, we were down at the diner with Mike and Jessica, Ben and Angela, and Eric. They had been the group that I'd hung out with for most of my time in Forks and it was nice to catch up. Mike had finally knocked Jess up and asked her to marry him, which was inevitable but nice to see anyway.

Ben and Angela were still going strong and Eric was dating one of the girls from the Rez just down the road. They all seemed to be doing well and I was happy for them.

At one point, I got up to go to the bathroom and Jess went with me. "So, Jasper is super-hot, huh?" she commented as we were washing our hands.

"Yeah, he's been amazing to me and I'm really lucky to have him," I told her. "He really saved me from a bad situation when I didn't really have any other options and I'm so grateful to him."

"He really cares about you," she offered. "I can see it in the way he looks at you and how attentive he is. You've got a good thing and I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks, Jess; that really means a lot to me." And it did. I knew that Jasper cared but to know that it showed to people who'd never met him before made my heart skip a beat.

After dinner, we headed back to the house and Alice went home, assuring me she'd be back bright and early in the morning to hang out before we had to leave and head back to Nebraska.

"Hey, Bells, how was dinner?" Charlie asked as we walked in the door. He'd switched some shifts around so he didn't end up having to work while I was home.

"It was good; Mike finally got Jess knocked up," I told him as we walked into the living room. Jasper sat down on the couch and I plopped down sideways on his lap, stretching my legs out in front of me. Jasper wrapped his arms around my waist and I rested my head on his shoulder.

It was peaceful and I was comfortable. Charlie didn't give me "the eye" or anything and that was a major nod of approval in and of itself.

Not too long after that, Jasper whispered to me that he was going to head upstairs and make a phone call and kissed me on the temple before getting up and subtly waggling his hips as he moved up the stairs.

"So…" Charlie said, drawing my attention back to him. "I haven't really gotten a chance to talk to you alone yet."

"I know. I'm sorry, Dad; trying to see everyone has really cut into our time."

"You really happy?" he asked nonchalantly taking a drink of his beer.

"Yeah, I really, really am," I assured him.

"Then that's all that really matters to me, Bella." He was staring straight at the television and his voice had a hint of a quiver in it, but my father was not an emotional man. "You've got yourself one hell of a man. I've never thought that anyone would be good enough for you, but Jasper comes pretty close."

Hearing my father say those things made me so happy. "Thanks, Daddy."

That was the end of the conversation. Things between us had always been simple and easy and unnecessary talking was never a part of the equation.

"I think I'm gonna go on up to bed. See you in the morning!" I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek before practically running up the stairs.

Jasper was already in bed reading a book when I got there.

I stood in the doorway just watching him for a moment. He was so sexy in the dim light of the room with his reading glasses on. "Hey there, gorgeous," I said softly, not wanting to startle him.

"Hey yourself, beautiful lady." He put the book down on the desk next to the bed and winked at me.

I quickly got into my pajamas and crawled into bed next to him. "Did you have a good talk with your dad?" he asked me, before pulling me close and gently kissing me.

"Yeah, I really missed him, and I can't thank you enough for bringing me out here this weekend. I never could have afforded this trip right now," I told him, hugging him tighter.

"No need for thanks, babe. I'm just glad I could do something for you."

"You do so much for me; let me do something for you." I licked my lips in suggestion and I swear I heard him groan.

"Baby, your dad's still up," he whispered as I palmed his cock through his shorts.

"Then I suggest you be quiet, Mr. Whitlock." I grinned evilly and patted his ass so he'd lift up and slide his shorts down.

He was already half-hard from our conversation—boys are so easy. I grabbed his dick and started to lazily stroke it as I planted kisses all up and down his chest and abs, paying special attention to his nipples.

He hissed when my teeth grazed his sensitive skin and I could tell he was working hard to be quiet. My boy was a vocal one.

I worked my way back down and I could sense his body tense up in anticipation. Soon I had him exactly where I wanted him, his cock buried deep in my mouth. My tongue swirled around and licked his shaft as my head bobbed up and down. His quiet moans were almost more erotic than when cried out loudly. "Oh, fuck, Bella; yeah, that's it… just like that!" he instructed me and pulled my ass closer to him.

I was on my knees and had my right elbow propping me up as my left hand helped me work his delicious cock over good. He slipped my pajama bottoms down and bit into my left ass cheek, causing me to cry out around his cock.

"You like that, Bella? You know you love it when I bite your sweet ass," he whispered hoarsely to me.

I pulled off of him quickly. "Fuck yeah, baby, I love your mouth on me," I confirmed before taking him back in my mouth.

Slowly but with a steady rhythm I worked my boy's cock just the way I knew he liked it; I could sense he was getting close when he tugged on my hips, forcing me off of him. I was confused for a second before he explained.

"I want you now, Bella; I need to be inside of you so badly."

"God, yes, baby, please…" I begged him; I needed him just as badly.

He reached for his wallet on the desk and grabbed a condom, quickly put it on him and pulled me on top of him.

He kissed me hard as he entered me and swallowed my cries of pleasure as his hips thrust to meet me every time I sank back down on him. Soon, we had found the perfect rhythm together and he pounded me relentlessly while I rocked back and forth on his rock-hard cock.

It wasn't long before we were both shamelessly chasing our orgasms. He was so good at sensing my needs as well as his own that he slipped his hand between us and rubbed my clit, and that was all it took to send me spiraling over the edge. I bit down on his shoulder to muffle the scream I couldn't contain as I felt every muscle in my body tighten up before exploding in a mind-blowing orgasm.

"Yeah, that's it, baby girl, come for me," he instructed as he pounded me harder. "Fuck, I'm so close. So, so close…"

It only took a couple more thrusts before he was grunting and pulsing inside of me. His whole body relaxed as I fell on top of him, both of us trying to catch our breath.

He held me gently and his fingertips trailed light patterns up and down my back. I had to roll off him when he slipped from inside of me and he quickly disposed of the used condom.

I cuddled up into his side, under his arm and kissed him passionately. "I love you, Jasper," I whispered to him. I knew it was the first time I had actually said the words out loud to him and I could feel his pulse quicken.

"I know, babe," was the only response he could muster. He squeezed me tighter in acknowledgement and we drifted to sleep silently.

The next morning played out exactly the same as the day before when Alice showed up bright and early and we all had breakfast together. Our flight was due to leave around seven that night from Seattle so we had to leave in the early afternoon to make it in plenty of time.

Alice came up to my room to help me pack the rest of my things before it was time to go.

"How would you feel about me coming to visit you in Nebraska over Thanksgiving break?" she asked me casually as she folded some of my shirts.

"I'd love that, Ali," I told her quickly and she grinned mischievously. "Is there any particular reason you ask?"

She was my best friend so I always knew when she was up to something. "Weeeellllll, Jake texted me last night…" she revealed then proceeded to tell me all about how they talked all night long and how she was wanting to come meet him.

"I knew it! I'm so happy for you, Boo. I hope you guys keep talking, and, of course, you should come out whenever you like. You know you are always welcome to visit!" I hugged her tightly and tried to keep from crying.

"Awww, don't cry Bells; we'll see each other soon!" she told me, rubbing my back in comfort.

"I know. I just miss you and Dad so much." I sniffled and wiped the tears away.

Just then, Jasper appeared in the door and said, "Baby, I hate to do this, but we gotta get going if we don't want to be late."

He picked up our stuff and carried it out to the car while I hugged Alice one more time. We walked downstairs holding hands and I lost it again when I saw the sadness etched across Charlie's face.

I walked over to him and he pulled me into a hug nearly crushing the air out of my lungs. "I'll come out and visit soon, Bells," he promised quietly in my ear. "Be safe, ya hear me?"

"I will, Dad. I love you," I whispered through the tears.

"Love you, too."

Jasper walked over to us when he got back in the house. "It was so nice to finally meet you, Charlie," he said sincerely and stuck his hand out to shake my father's hand again.

"You too, son; you take care of my baby girl," he said seriously. "I'm trusting you with her."

"I will, sir. I won't let anything or anyone hurt her, I swear." Jasper's voice was dead serious and Charlie knew he was telling the truth.

"Good to know," Charlie replied with a small smile.

"Alright, Bella, you ready?" he asked me, taking my hand in his and walking toward the door.

I could only nod for fear that the waterworks would start up again. We got in the car and I waved sadly at Charlie and Alice as we backed out of the driveway.

The drive back to Seattle seemed to take forever and it was mostly silent; the radio was the only noise for the longest time. I knew Jasper was respecting my sadness by not forcing me to talk and act happy about leaving, which I appreciated tremendously.

The flight back to Lincoln was smooth and uneventful and soon we were back in the comfort of our apartment. It was the middle of the night and we were both exhausted so we just left the bags unpacked and quietly slid into bed.

"I know you miss them, baby, but we'll see them again soon," he promised and kissed my forehead. Then he pulled me close to him and I could feel him fall asleep.

I did miss them so much but at the same time it was hard for me to regret having to leave my family if it meant I got to spend every single day with the most wonderful man in the world. I smiled for the first time since we'd left Washington and fell asleep in the arms of the man I loved.

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**OH! One more thing! My girl Lindz26 made a fabulous mid-story banner showcasing the feel of the story and if you want to check it out, the link is posted on my profile! **

**xoxo**


	17. Truths Revealed

**A/N: *ducks in a corner* Yes I know it's been a LONG time since I updated and I am so sincerely sorry about that but things have been seriously crazy. Jasper stopped talking to me for a while and I was totally blocked on what he wanted me to tell you, but he's started talking to me again and the next update shouldn't be nearly as long. **

**Thank you all so much for sticking with me even through the sucky not updating times and for all the love and support you give me, with CL and with all my other writing in general. I've made so many awesome friends throughout this process and I'm forever grateful! **

**This is a short chapter but I wanted to get it out to you guys and it ends in a good spot so I hope you like! Let me know what you think, mmmkay?**

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**Truths Revealed**

**JPov**

Everything was falling into place for me and it was we were in Washington, I got a lot of things accomplished for my big plan.

I really hated that I had to be so secretive about it and having to leave Bella to talk to the people helping me, but I honestly don't think she noticed too much. It knew it would be worth it in the end to see her face when I made the big reveal.

When we finally woke up the day after we arrived home, it was nearly one in the afternoon. I had arranged for both of us to have the day off because I'd known that we would be home late and that the jet lag would be killer.

We didn't do anything for the rest of the afternoon and I could sense that Bella was nervous about her classes beginning the next day, so I ordered dinner in and we had a picnic on the floor in the living room. Then we just relaxed and watched movie tangled in each other's arms. I did my best to help her relax and forget about her nerves.

We went to bed early and the next day Bella got up to attend her classes while I had to go to work and then to a major appointment with some very important people who were crucial to the success of my plan.

When Wednesday arrived, it was time for another visit with Ava and I was thrilled. Katherine and Damon had agreed to let me take her to Lost in Fun as a surprise and it was going to be only my second time alone with my daughter.

When I got to their house to pick Ava up, Maria was there and she did not look happy at all.

As soon as I walked into the house, she began assaulting me with words. She got right up in my face and shouted things like, "How dare you ruin a chance for me to spend time with my daughter?" and "Just who in the fuck do you think you are?"

As calmly as I could, I told her exactly who I thought I was. "In case you've forgotten, I am Ava's father and I have every right to spend one night alone with my daughter, seeing as how I have missed the past three years with her due to your lies and selfishness."

I was breathing hard, trying not to freak out on her because I could tell Katherine was about to intervene when Ava walked into the room. She had to have overheard me telling Maria that I was her father because she walked right over to me, climbed up into my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck. Then she looked up at me with her gorgeous little face and asked me, "Jap-ser, are you really my daddy too?" My heart stopped momentarily because up until that moment, we had agreed not to tell her yet because we didn't want to confuse her any more than she already was for a three year old in such a difficult situation.

I looked expectantly at Katherine and Damon and they both nodded in agreement, so I carefully explained to her that I was her daddy just like Maria was her mommy, but that she was special because she got to have two mommies and two daddies and not many kids have that privilege.

She seemed to take the news in stride and honestly I think she just liked the idea of being more special than other kids; she was our little princess after all. Before she got down off my lap, she looked up at me again and asked, "Do I get to call you Daddy now too?"

My heart swelled bigger than it had ever been before and without even so much as a glance at anyone else in the room, I told her of course she could call me daddy and that I loved her so much. Those words were still hard to say but for Ava, they seemed to just roll off my tongue as easy as could be.

Maria was furious, I could tell but she kept her anger in control because Ava was still in the room.

Damon walked over to us with a smile on his face and bent down in front of our little girl. "Ava, Jasper wants to take you out for a surprise tonight; are you ready to go?"

"Yes, Daddy, I'm ready to go wif Daddy Jap-ser!" She squealed in delight as Damon took her to get her shoes on and to say good-bye to Maria.

I walked over and stood by Katherine so I could talk to her for a minute. "Thank you," I whispered lowly, knowing she could still here me.

"There's no need for thanks, Jasper; Ava loves you and you are great with her. We are happy to have you spending time with her." Katherine's words were reassuring and I felt better.

A few seconds later, I felt a tugging on my pant leg and Ava was down there trying to get my attention. "Daddy Jap-ser, are you ready to go?"

I bent down and scooped her up into my arms. "Yes, darlin', I'm ready to go."

We finished saying good-bye and I buckled Ava into the car seat I'd bought her. It was beyond surreal to see my daughter sitting in my car, bouncing up and down with excitement. It was a surely a glimpse into the future and it made me smile.

"Sweetie, where do you want to go eat for supper?" I asked as I pulled away from the curb.

"Old McDonalds!" she cried out happily and so I took her to the one closest to our destination.

We ate quickly and then I drove us to Lost in Fun, which is an indoor play center with jungle gyms, ball pits, bouncy houses and loads of other toys for kids to play on.

We walked in and got our wrist bands and then I found a corner to put stuff down. Ava's eyes lit up when she saw the swing sets and the monkey bars. "Daddy, can I go play wif those kids?"

"Of course, Sweetheart, go ahead." I followed her over to the toys and watched as she had a blast.

She darted back and forth between all the different toys and the water table and sand pit. She didn't want to miss anything and neither did I. I had brought my camera and snapped plenty of pictures of her playing with all the other kids.

Pretty soon, she walked up to me holding a little boy's hand. "Daddy, this is Jack; he's my new best fwend. Can he play wif us?"

I couldn't help but smile when I noticed a short, slightly chubby woman walking up to us. "There you are, Jack!" she said as she took him by the hand and then looked at me. "It's so hard to keep track of them when they are so small, huh?" Her laugh was jovial and I knew she was joking.

"Yeah, it is," I told her.

The kids took off toward the swings again so I stood there with Jack's mom and we talked. She told me how cute she thought my daughter was and didn't the kids just look happy playing together.

"I'm Peggy," she offered when it started to get awkward that we didn't know each other's names.

"Jasper," I told her.

I snapped a few more pictures of Ava and Jack and asked Peggy if she would please take a picture of Ava and me on the swing set. She agreed and took the camera from me. I called Ava over and she sat on my lap as the picture was taken.

The kids asked if they could go play in the bouncy houses and we agreed, although Peggy didn't want to jump so I kept an eye on both kids as we bounced.

When our time was up, the kids were really sad about having to leave each other but Jack's mom suggested that we swap information and get the kids together for a play date sometime soon.

I agreed and swapped my information with her, but told her that it might be a while. I didn't want to get into the specifics with her, but I wanted her to be aware that Ava was about to go through a custody battle that might not be too easy on her at first.

The kids had made such a strong connection with each other though and I didn't want to tell her no when Ava asked if she could play with Jack again. I'd recently been reminded of what it felt like to have an instant connection with someone and even though the kids were only three, I didn't want to take that away from her.

Before we left, she wished me luck and told me that she could see how good I was with the kids and how she hoped Ava ended up with me in the end.

I thanked her very much and Ava said good-bye to Jack, hugging him and then crying when I picked her up and turned to leave. I told her she would be able to see him again; that stopped the tears and my happy little girl was back.

When we got back to the Wilson's house, I gave Ava a bath and put her to bed. She fell asleep after the first book and I left the room quietly.

Damon was walking down the hall and I caught up to him quickly. "She's out like a light," I told him.

"Sounds like you guys had a good night tonight," he chuckled.

"Yeah, Ava made a new friend at the play center so if you hear anything about Jack, that's her new friend."

"Thanks for taking her out tonight Jasper; she needs to spend some time alone with you once in a while," Damon told me as we headed toward he door.

"I love her, so it's my pleasure to spend as much time with her as you'll let me. Good night, Damon." I shook his hand and went to leave.

When I arrived back at the apartment, Bella was surrounded in books. "This semester is going to kill me," she complained as soon as I walked in the door.

I walked over and kissed her forehead. "You are going to kill it this semester, Bella. I'm going to take a shower."

When I got in bed, it wasn't too long until she joined me. "Did you have a good time tonight?" she asked as she snuggled into my side.

"The only thing that would have made it better is if you were with us, babe." She squeezed me tight and we fell asleep together.

The next day was a busy one for me. Bella left for classes early and I had to meet up with my father for lunch before heading to the last of the important meetings for the big surprise.

The day flew by and by the time dinner rolled around I was so excited I could barely contain myself. I mean even I knew the happiness was radiating out of me and Bella kept looking at me funny and grinning.

"I have a surprise for you tonight, Bella," I finally revealed when I just couldn't take it anymore.

"Really?" she asked excitedly. "What is it?"

"Well, I can't really just tell you; I wanna show you."

Bella quirked her eyebrow at me like she was silently begging me to just tell her. I shook my head defiantly and she hopped up from the dinner table and slid her shoes on. "What are you waiting for? Let's go!"

Seeing her so excited made the whole nerve wracking process worth it and I quickly followed her to my car.

Driving to the location made me nervous and anxious and my stomach was in turmoil. I really wanted her to love it but part of me was weary of what it would mean if she turned it down.

I pulled into the drive way of the two-story, light blue house that I'd just closed on earlier that day and stepped out of the car.

Bella's eyes were full of questions as she took in the sight of the house and then turned to me with a quizzical look on her face. "What is this place?" she finally asked.

I smiled proudly as I said, "It's our new home."

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**Soooo... Sunday is my birthday and your review would make a wonderful birthday present! See... it doesn't take much to make me happy!**


	18. Coming Home

**A/N: What's that? A new chapter and it's only been a few weeks? Has hell frozen over? No, it hasn't, but you can thank Jasper for this one. He's been talking to me and he just wouldn't shut up until I got this down and out for you guys! It's another shorter chapter, but I think if I keep writing them a bit shorter, I might be able to get them out faster to you and it's a win/win for us all right? **

**I'm so excited about this chapter and I have to give MAD props to my bestie, coachlady1 for her awesome beta brain and in general for just being the amazing friend she is! *superhugs* **

**I love you all so much for the continued support and love you show for me and this story! **

**One last thing! Tomorrow the Jasper's Darlins kick off their big Awards "Everything's Bigger in Texas" and it our baby! We are so excited to bring this back to you again and so keep your eyes pealed on the blog for more details so you can nom your favorite fics for it! **

**Here it is folks, enjoy!**

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Chapter 18: Coming Home

Bella's jaw dropped wide open when I told her the house was ours. It took her a few minutes before she could respond.

"How did you do this? I mean, it's beautiful and I love it, but are you sure about this?" she asked me finally, and I could tell her inquiry was loaded with underlying questions and insecurities about herself.

I led her up to the front porch and we sat down on the swing together. I turned toward her and looked her directly in the eyes so she could see just how sure I was. "I've never been more sure about anything in my life, Bella. I don't just want this to be a house; I want us to make it our home. I want to come home from work every day and watch Ava play in the back yard and eat dinner together as a family. I want to help her with her homework and watch her grow up into the amazing person I know she will become. I want to host family barbeques and holidays and start traditions together, and I want that all with you, Bella."

Bella's eyes filled with tears as she listened to me and I braced myself for what I was about to say next, because it was quite possibly the most meaningful thing I would ever say to someone else. "I love you, Bella."

That's all it took and the tears were flowing down her face. "I want all of that with you and more, Jasper. I love you, too!"

I leaned down and gently pressed my lips to hers, kissing her and letting our connection grow. I could almost physically feel our bond strengthen then she slid into my lap and placed her head on my shoulder, just snuggling into me.

We sat like that for a while, content in the knowledge that what we shared with each other was real and strong.

It started to get a bit dark outside so I asked her, "Do you want to check out the inside? See what we need to do to make this place feel like home?"

A glint of pure happiness sparkled in her eyes as she agreed. I pulled the key out of my pocket, unlocked the door and let her inside.

As we made our way through the house, we started to make plans about things we wanted to buy and where we would place them. I made sure Bella knew that it was to be _our _home and her input was important on the things that we would purchase and how we would decorate.

I showed her the master bedroom, which had a bathroom attached, and then I showed her what would be Ava's room. We talked about what sort of theme would be good for her and went back and forth between the Disney Princesses and Dora the Explorer before Dora eventually became the winner.

We made our way back downstairs through the living room, the first floor bathroom, the den and the kitchen discussing things as we went. The last place I showed her was the basement, which was a full finished apartment.

Once we locked up and were in the car headed back to our apartment, Bella turned to me and asked, "Does Jake know?"

"Of course Jake knows." I chuckled. "My father and Jake are the only ones who knew exactly what my plans were."

Bella was quiet for the rest of the ride home and all the way up to the apartment.

Once we got inside, she sat down on the couch and I started talking again.

"We should make a list of things that we need and maybe you can talk to Dee at work about getting some boxes for packing when the truck comes in next," I said.

Bella was staring absentmindedly at the wall and I'm not sure she was listening to me. "Bella?" I asked her and she snapped her attention to me. "What's wrong? What are you thinking about?"

"Jake…" she answered quietly. "I'm going to miss him."

"Bella, he'll just be a few minutes away. He'll be able to come over whenever he wants and of course we can come back here and visit him anytime," I assured her.

"But it won't be the same," she argued.

"No, it won't be the same but things change." I walked over to her and knelt down between her knees. "We have to do this in order for me to be able to prove to the courts that I'm fit enough to parent Ava. This apartment is too small and I want to show them that I can provide everything she needs."

"I know and I'm so happy that you're doing what you have to do to make everything perfect for Ava." Bella's eyes closed for a second before she reopened them with a smile on her face. "What if Jake comes with us? Like if he moves into the basement apartment?"

I stood up and walked over to the television, turning it off. My girl was always looking out for others especially her friends and I loved how sweet she could be. I hadn't even thought about that possibility but it could work. It would help with the house payments and I'd still have my best friend super close by.

I smiled at her as she gazed at me intently. "Well, I suppose if that's something that Jake would wanna do, then I would be more than willing to work it out so that he could live in the basement apartment."

Bella jumped off the couch and wrapped her arms around my neck. I loved seeing her so excited; it was one of the most amazing things to witness. Her eyes would light up and the smile that graced her face made her even more beautiful, if that's even possible. "Thank you, Jasper," she whispered into my ear before kissing my earlobe lightly. "For everything." She grabbed my hand and led me toward the bedroom, shutting the door tightly behind her.

Before I knew it, her shirt and bra were in a pile at our feet and my shirt was being lifted over my head. Bella's silky smooth fingers were laying a trail down my chest and I could feel myself responding to her touch.

She leaned in and kissed my neck before working her way down to my nipples. As her hot, wet mouth worked over my nipples, licking, sucking and biting them, her hands worked swiftly at unbuttoning my jeans and sliding them down to the floor along with my boxers.

I pulled her backward to the bed with me and instructed her to get rid of the remaining clothes on her gorgeous body. Once we were both completely naked, I pulled her down on top of me and kissed her passionately. I'd told the woman I loved her for the first time earlier that evening and at now, I was going to show her just how much I loved her.

Bella pulled out of the kiss and slid her way down my body until she was eye level with my very hard cock. Her velvety tongue flicked out and licked the head and I moaned unashamedly. It felt fucking fantastic but it felt even better when her whole mouth engulfed my length and I cried out, "Oh, fuck, Bella!"

I could feel her lips curl up into a smile before she started working her way up and down, swirling her tongue over the head and using it to lick my shaft. She was trying to make me explode in her mouth, I could tell, but that's not what I wanted.

"Bella, sweetheart," I said as calmly as I could while she continued her ministrations. She looked up at me from under her eyelashes and quirked them in question. "That feels so… fucking good…" I grunted, trying so hard to hold off my impending orgasm. "But I want to… be inside of you now."

She pulled off of me. "Jasper tonight is about you. I want to make you feel good; you've already done so much for me."

I sat up and grasped her chin in my hand so she was looking straight at me. "Bella, you always make me feel good; being with you is the best feeling in the world. It would make me feel good to make love to you tonight." And with that, I kissed her again, plunging my tongue into her mouth, reveling in the feeling of being so happy with her.

I laid her back on the bed without breaking our kiss and shamelessly ground myself into her. She was so wet for me and I knew she wanted it as badly as I did. Quickly, I grabbed a condom from the nightstand and rolled it on before slowly pushing into her.

I took my time with her, worshipping her body and making sure she knew just how much I truly did love her, without using words. I used my hands, my lips, my tongue, even my cock to show her instead of telling her.

I hadn't taken my time like that with anyone, ever. Even before when I thought I was in love, it was never like this, the connection was never as strong. I could tell she was close by the moans and whispered words of "harder" and "faster" and "please, please, please" spilling from her mouth.

I gave her exactly what she asked for and she climaxed around me just seconds before I exploded inside of her.

We just lay there, forehead to forehead for a moment, catching our breath and coming down from the high of mutual orgasms.

I disposed of the condom and was too exhausted to even think about showering, so I tucked Bella into my side, turned off the light, and whispered, "I love you, Bella."

"I love you too, Jasper," she echoed back to me before sleep overtook me.

The next few weeks consisted mainly of working and school for Bella and myself during the day and then shopping and working on getting the house decorated and fully furnished. Bella would go shopping with my mom or Rose and I could tell she was having a lot of fun with it. They got everything we needed for Ava's room and picked out a bunch of really cute clothes to fill her closet and dresser. I think it made Bella feel a little bit more involved, even though she hadn't met Ava yet.

Jake had agreed to our proposition so we got him moved out of his apartment and into the basement of the house. He was thoroughly excited to move out of the tiny apartments we had lived in. He had even suggested that we take turns mowing so he could feel like he was pulling his weight a bit more. How could I turn that offer down?

The first night we spent in our new home was the twenty-second of September and I think that will be an important day for us for the rest of our lives.

Before I fell asleep in my own home for the first time, I had a bit of a period of reflection on how I had gotten there. I felt like more of a man that night than I ever had before because I was taking care of my responsibilities. Maybe it was because I actually had responsibilities to take care of in the first place. Before Bella came along, I was living my life all wrong. I had been hurt and I was internalizing that and shutting everyone out. It really wasn't much of a life, getting drunk and banging some random chick before going home and passing out.

Bella really had opened my eyes to so much, and, honestly, if it hadn't been for meeting her I probably would never have known about Ava. We wouldn't have been at the restaurant the night that I came to blows with Edward, Maria wouldn't have felt the need to find me and tell me about Ava, and I wouldn't know the amazing little girl who shares my DNA.

I'd come to the conclusion that I was ready for my little girl to come home. The house was ready, her room was ready, and the only thing missing was her. I smiled as I fell asleep that night knowing what tomorrow would bring.

The next morning after Bella had left for school I sat down at the counter in the kitchen and made the most important phone call of my life to date.

I took a deep breath as I heard the receptionist pick up. _"The Law Offices of Volturi and Volturi, how may I direct your call?"_

"Yes, this is Jasper Whitlock. I'd like to speak to Aro, please."

"_One moment, please…"_

The on-hold music was lame as always but my heart was hammering in my chest and I barely heard it.

"_Jasper, it's so good to hear from you. How can I help you today?" _

"Do you recall those papers I had you draw up for me a while back? The custody ones," I asked him confidently.

"_Of course, Jasper; are you ready for them?"_

"Yes, sir, I would like for them to be sent to the court as soon as possible."

"_Are you sure about this, Jasper?"_

"I'm positive," I assured him.

"_Alright, I'll get these faxed over and should hear something back by the end of the day. You will more than likely need to go in for a paternity test but this should be an open and shut case, considering you are the biological father who has never signed away your rights."_

"Thank you so much, Aro; you've been more than helpful. I'll be anxiously waiting to hear back from you."

"_You're so welcome, Jasper; I'll call you as soon as I hear anything. Good-bye."_

"Good-bye."

I shut my phone and sat there with the biggest smile on my face. I had just taken the first legal step in obtaining custody of my daughter and I couldn't have been happier.


	19. Visions of the Future

**A/N: Thank you all so much for sticking with me! I promise I'm trying my hardest to get these chapters out as quickly and efficiently as I can but I had a few things to do before I could write this one. My dear friend MizzHyde and I wrote a collab piece for the Slash/Backslash 3.0 contest. Check out all the entries at **.net/c2/74941/3/0/1/ **There are tons of awesome entries so be sure to read them all!**

**Also, I've written a piece for the Fandom4LLS charity compilation. It's an Angela/Edward piece and if you want early access to it, all you have to do is go to their blog to find out how to donate and once you do that, you'll get this compilation full of amazing stories from tons of awesome fan fic authors! This is a cause that's near and dear to my heart and it would be appreciated to much if you would help raise some money for such a worthy cause!**

**I started re-posting my Jake/Bella story titled In the End that I've been revising and having beta'd. It was the very first story I ever wrote and since it's based on real life experience, it's my baby! Check it out if you feel like it! **

**And lastly, Conflicted Love was nominated for an Emerging Swan Award under the category for Best Cullen Lovin WIP! I'm not sure who nom'd it, but I am humbled and truly grateful! The voting for it goes on until September 5****th**** at their blog and my friends KrazyK85 and Jaydogrut have also been nom'd so if you'd take the time to go vote, it would mean so much to all of us!**

**You guys are so amazing for sharing your thoughts with me and I love each and every one of you for doing so! Keep them coming, it's about to get real, y'all!**

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Chapter 19: Visions of the Future

As soon as Bella got home for the day, we went out for a celebratory dinner so I could tell her what I had done. She was thrilled for me and so supportive, telling me how proud she was of me for doing this.

We ate and then decided to go bowling, just like our first time going out together; it was an amazing night just full of happiness and celebration. Bella kicked my ass again and I had to give it up and bow to the bowling master. She ate it all up, grinning from ear to ear before she revealed to me that she was in a bowling league back in Washington since Charlie loved bowling. What a cheater!

I didn't hear back from Aro until after lunch the next day but I was so excited to get the call. He informed me that I would indeed need to go in for the swab for the paternity test and that as soon as I did that; they would serve the papers to the Wilsons, mandating that they would have to bring Ava in for her DNA test.

That was the part I was the most worried about. I honestly was not trying to hurt them but in all fairness, I knew I deserved to be the one to raise my daughter. It would kill them to have Ava taken away though and the thought made me sick to my stomach.

I wasn't sure if I should talk to them beforehand and let them know what was going on, or if I should just let the papers do the talking for me.

The internal debate had been eating at me all afternoon and when Bella got home, she could sense it right away. She immediately came to sit next to me and laced her fingers with mine. "Jasper, what's wrong?" The concern was so apparent in her voice; it soothed me a bit when she showed so much care for me.

"I'm just worrying about everything that's going to happen. Katherine and Damon have been nothing but nice to me and I'm taking their daughter away from them; it's so unfair."

Bella cupped my face with her free hand and guided my cheek until she could look me directly in the eye. "Jasper, I know you and I know this is bothering you, but Ava is _your _daughter and you are the one who has been denied for so long. The whole situation is unfair, yes I agree, but you'll do the right thing; I have absolute faith in that."

Then she leaned in and kissed me, squashing all my fears and filling me full of hope and excitement again. It was amazing how much Bella grounded me and kept me sane.

First thing the next morning, I was at the doctor's office for the test. They got it all processed and faxed the paperwork back to the court. I was so relieved to be done with that part of the process and then instantly anxious for the next step.

I had my visit with Ava that night and once she was down for the night, I walked back out into the living room. Damon and Katherine were both sitting on the couch and Maria was in the chair. She had been mostly civil to me since the night that she blew up on me and we ended up agreeing to taking turns putting Ava to bed during the weekly visitations.

As soon as she saw me, she stood up to leave, saying her good-byes on the way out. As soon as the door shut is when the butterflies stopped fluttering and started beating the hell out of my stomach. I felt physically ill and had to sit down before I passed out. I knew what I was going to do and I had to do it before I lost my courage.

"Damon… Katherine…" I began cautiously. "I need to talk to you guys."

Katherine scooted a little closer to Damon as my voice was stone serious. "What is it, Jasper?" he asked me, looking me directly in the eye and not giving me a chance to be a coward about it.

"Well, I need to tell you guys something and it's big, but you need to remember that Ava is sleeping in the next room," I reminded them, sucking in a deep breath.

Katherine grabbed Damon by the arm and I could see her shaking a bit. "Jasper, you're scaring me; please tell us what's going on."

I exhaled slowly and then just told them straight out, "I filed for custody of Ava on Monday; you'll be getting the papers in the mail soon and I didn't want you to be blindsided by this."

I was shivering with nerves as the seconds ticked by without a reaction from either one of them. I knew the news was settling in when tears began to trickle down Katherine's face. I could see the anger rising in Damon though; the room was instantly full of tension.

I can't say I blamed him, I felt that way so many times in those months before that night. "Why would you do this to us, Jasper? What did we do to you?" Damon asked with an eerily calm quality to his voice, despite the visual cues of his anger. It was scary as hell.

"I'm really sorry, and I mean that so sincerely, but she's my daughter and I deserve the opportunity to raise her," I explained, although I'm certain they didn't give a damn about my apology.

"She's our daughter, Jasper; we've taken care of her for the past three years and we love her so damn much," he countered. His fingers were digging into his legs and I could only assume it was in order to stop him from punching something—probably me.

"I know you have, and I'm so grateful to you for doing that, but if I had known about her, I would have been the one raising her for the past three years. I've lost so much time with her already and I refuse to lose anymore, no matter what it takes." I stood up to leave, knowing I wasn't welcome anymore.

"Jasper, please, don't do this," Katherine begged, speaking up for the first time. "We can work something out, but don't take our little girl away from us." Her words were desperate and my heart was tearing from seeing the obvious pain that I was causing them.

"I'm so sorry but I have to do this, Katherine; I just can't wait any longer."

I'd made it to the door and opened it before Damon came up behind me so fast I wasn't expecting it. "We'll fight this, you know; we have rights too and you just can't do this to us." His voice was so tense and strained I knew it was best for me to just walk away, so that's exactly what I did.

I got in my car and away from them as fast as I could. I knew that was the last time I'd be welcome for Wednesday night visits and I really hoped it wouldn't take long to get this all done so I could see Ava again.

Bella had this uncanny way of anticipating my needs, so of course she knew that I was going to need some distraction when I got home. I was nearly a zombie as I walked through the door to the bedroom, which had been completely transformed with candles and soft music. It was the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for me.

She peeled my clothes off slowly, kissing my skin as she exposed more and more of it, until I was left only in my boxers. Bella then led me to the bed and instructed me to lie in the middle on my stomach. I felt the bed dip as she climbed in and I heard the click of a lid before she climbed over me and positioned herself on my ass.

Next thing I knew, her hands were rubbing up and down my back and it felt amazing. The tension I had been feeling just melted away and I was left more relaxed than I had been in several days. She took her time, working each individual section of my back as I groaned and told her how amazing she was and how magical her fingers were.

Soon she moved from my back to my arms and I'd never had my arms massaged before. It felt fucking fantastic and when she moved to my legs, I didn't stand a chance. I was asleep before it was over and I woke up a few hours later, still in the middle of the bed with Bella curled up into me next to the wall.

I had the sweetest, most attentive girlfriend in the world and even though I'd never really believed in fate but her presence was making it really hard not to. I knew without a doubt she was meant to play a huge role in my life.

By the time the weekend arrived, I hadn't heard any more from Aro and my parents had invited Jake, Bella and I over for a barbeque so we decided to go. Emmett and Rose were there with the girls and so I decided to take the opportunity to discuss everything with all of them at once. Everyone was so ecstatic to hear about my filing for custody and I told them all about Ava as I watched my beautiful girlfriend play tag with Hailey, Chloe, and Sophia.

Emmett looked up to check on the girls and his grin was so wide as he commented, "You've got yourself a good one there, Jas."

"I know, right? She's pretty amazing."

Jake piped up at that moment, "Have you told them the big news yet?"

My mother looked at me expectantly and I couldn't get out of it after that. "Well?" she asked me after a few seconds of quiet.

"I'm in love with her, as hard as that is to believe coming from me," I admitted out loud and to me, it felt like I'd just dropped a bomb on my family.

Of course to them, it was no surprise at all. "Of course you are, dear!" my mother exclaimed. "What's not to love? She's a darling girl."

My dad nodded his head in agreement and Emmett threatened to beat my ass if I screwed this one up, because he decided that he really liked Bella. I promised to try my best not to get my ass beat and turned to watch Bella with the girls again.

She was acting goofy as she chased them around the yard, making them giggle uncontrollably. They tried to dodge her grasp and once when she caught Chloe, she wrapped her arms around her waist and spun her around in circles.

Chloe's face lit up at the attention she was receiving from Miss Bella and when she put her down, Chloe clung to Bella's leg and told her she loved her. It was one of the sweetest moments I'd ever witnessed and future scenes of Bella and Ava rushed through my mind as I spaced out.

Emmett brought me back to the present with his booming laugh and when I zoned back in, the girls had dog piled on Bella and were tickling her mercilessly. Bella just laughed and squirmed on the ground as she cried out that she gave up.

I got up and walked over to them where the girls ambushed me, pulling me down to their level. "Uncle Jasper, Miss Bella is so much fun to play with!" Hailey squealed as I pulled her to me and lifted her onto my shoulders.

"I know she is," I agreed as I took off jogging around the yard. Each girl took a turn riding on my shoulders as I gave Bella a break and when I let Chloe down, I looked around for Sophia, only to find her asleep on Bella's lap at the table where Bella was talking to my parents, Jake, and Emmett.

My heart melted when I realized that everything I'd ever wanted in life was slowly coming together. Soon, we'd be having family barbeques at our new house along with Ava and it would be absolutely perfect. I could see all the girls playing together with Emmett and Jake, who would finally be uncles.

I couldn't wait for the whole family to meet the missing piece that would make it whole. Seeing my parents with her would be amazing but most of all, I couldn't wait for Bella to meet her for the first time.

Chloe grabbed my hand and once again I had to be brought back from the future as she pulled me over to my family. She climbed up into my lap and Hailey rested comfortably on Jake's lap.

We talked for a while longer before Emmett and Rose decided to take the girls home. We each grabbed our girl and carried them out to the car for my brother. After we said our good-byes to my parents and promised to come back soon, we got in the car and headed back to the house.

Jake went downstairs and Bella curled up next to me on the couch, laying her head in my lap. I absentmindedly ran my fingers through her hair as we sat there quietly watching the news. "What are you thinking about, Jasper?" she asked me quietly.

"You were amazing with those girls tonight," I answered honestly. "They really think you are the best."

"I think they're pretty awesome, too," she giggled.

"You're gonna be so great with Ava." My heart stuttered a bit with my admission.

"You really think so?" she asked me hesitantly.

"I absolutely do," I assured her.

"I love you, Jasper," she murmured.

"I love you, too, Bella." She sighed deeply and before I knew it, was sound asleep on the couch.

I picked her up and carried her to bed, before climbing in and falling asleep quickly to visions of Bella and Ava playing out in my dreams. It was perfect.

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**I discovered a new fic recently. It's approx three chapters in but it's fan-fucking-tastically written and I'm beggin you all to check it out! It's called Unscripted by domysticated and it's a Jasper/Bella story too! I think you are going to love it! You can find it in my favorites! xoxo **

**Don't forget to leave her some very much deserved love tho! **

**xoxo**


	20. Highs and Lows

**A/N: Hey y'all! NO… your eyes are NOT deceiving you! This is the second chapter in two days but it was flowing and I had to get it out while I could! I hope y'all don't mind! (and maybe it makes up a bit for the fail that I've been in updating recently!)**

**I forgot something in the note yesterday… I made a blog for info on my stories and other misc things related to my involvement in the fandom you can find it on my profile or at JasperLuver48fanfic *dot* blogspot *dot* com Check it out if you are so inclined!**

**Also, THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the reviews and love you leave me for this story! I have the best readers, better than the rest and I love you all so much! We will definitely pass 350 reviews with this chapter and I am trippin from this knowledge! You guys ROCK!**

**xoxo**

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**Chapter 20: Highs and Lows**

The following Tuesday, Aro called me back and let me know that they had finally processed both DNA tests and that it revealed, with ninety-nine point nine percent certainty, that Ava was indeed my daughter.

I had obviously had no doubts about it, but to hear it officially gave me goose bumps. Then Aro informed me that we would have a hearing in two weeks and go from there. He said he had yet to receive word from the Wilson's attorney or if they had even chosen to fight this. I knew that part was coming though; they were too invested in Ava to give her up without a fight. I thanked him for calling and asked him to call me back the week of trial to give me an update and to go over anything I might need to know.

It wasn't until the next night when I didn't show up for visitation night that I heard anything at all from that side. I sat at home all night completely and utterly distracted because I was missing out again on more time with Ava.

I knew a war would have broken out if I'd shown up, but I had no idea what they were saying to Ava about why I wasn't there. I was hoping with everything I had that they weren't slandering me to my little girl, making her think I was a bad guy. I really didn't want her to hate me when she finally came to live with me.

It was about nine o'clock and I was heading up to shower when my phone rang and startled me. It was Maria calling and I knew the shit was about to hit the fan.

I pressed talk and asked, "What do you want, Maria?" No greeting or anything.

"What in the fuck do you think you are doing?" she screamed from her end of the line.

"I'm righting your wrong and making sure that I get the chance to raise my daughter," I told her as calmly as I could.

"She's not just YOUR daughter, Jasper and you can't do this to Damon and Katherine, I won't let you! They've been good parents to Ava and she loves them!" The shouting was only getting louder and angrier so I had to pull the phone away from my ear.

"I know they've been good parents to her, but I AM her parent, Maria; she's my flesh and blood and what you did to me is criminal." I took a deep breath and rested my head on the wall behind me. "Have you ever stopped to think about that?"

"I won't let you do this, Jasper. I'll fight for my little girl, I'll get her back if I have to, but you will not take her away from me," she threatened me in a menacing voice.

I couldn't help it, I laughed into the phone; she obviously had no idea who she was messing with. "Oh, Maria, you really don't have a God damned clue, do you? You signed your fucking parental rights away when you signed the adoption papers; you have ZERO legal rights over her. I, however, did no such thing seeing as how you lied to the agency and told them you had no idea who her father was, when you so clearly did."

"I swear to God, Jasper…" she started to say and I cut her ass off before she had a chance to finish her thought.

"Let me tell you how this is going to go, Maria," I practically growled into the phone. "You are going to stay out of this and leave me the hell alone because so help me God, if you don't, I will file criminal charges against you. You and I both know I have the means to do it and I would win in a landslide victory. All the evidence proves you are guilty as sin."

Maria went quiet instantly. "I don't want to have to do that to you, I'm not out to seek revenge on you, but if you make this any more difficult than it already is, or I find out that you are trying to turn that little girl's opinion of me around, I will do it and I won't think twice about it." I was seething with rage at that point and it was a feeling that I didn't like at all.

"Jasper…"

"No, Maria. I don't care what the fuck you have left to say to me. You've made your bed and now it's time for you to lie in it. This conversation is over." And just like that, I hung up the phone and slid down the wall.

I hated so much that I'd just had to resort to that kind of legal threat, but Maria was fucking crazy if she thought that I was giving up my opportunity.

I placed my head on top of my knees and concentrated on calming down so Bella wouldn't have to see me like that. I had never been a violent person unless pushed, and Maria was definitely pushing.

Bella found me in the hallway and gently demanded to know what was going on. She was instantly furious and ready to go kick some ass, and even though I truly appreciated the gesture, I didn't want her to get involved with Maria, as she also had her own reasons for wanting to knock her out and it probably wouldn't have ended well for either of them.

I couldn't help but chuckle as the image of my little Bella pounding Maria popped into my head. That was gratification enough and I know Bella would have won; she's a feisty one, my girl.

Bella wanted to know why I was laughing and when I told her, she started laughing too. I loved that she was so willing to fight for me, for us and I couldn't help but kiss her.

The adrenaline that was running through my body mixed with the instant surge of love for Bella turned into a lustful, passionate encounter in the hallway.

It was exhilarating and when we both had finished and were lying sweaty and tangled together on the floor, I couldn't stop smiling. Somehow, this girl always took my panic, rage, and any other unwanted feelings away with a few touches or words.

"Shall we shower?" I asked as we got up off the floor. She winked and nodded and away we went.

True to his word, Aro called me at the beginning of the week that the hearing was scheduled. He said the hearing would be short and sweet and it basically would be the judge letting me know what I needed to do to prove that I was a fit father. The Wilsons did indeed hire an attorney who would be there to represent them, but Ava would not be at the hearing.

The actual day of the hearing arrived quickly and I was a bundle of nerves the entire morning. We arrived shortly after lunch and when they called our case, we entered the courtroom and took our seats.

The judge arrived and addressed me specifically. He said that there would be a couple steps to obtaining the custody I was seeking and I would have to pass them both in order to proceed with a trial for custody.

First of all, a member of the Department of Health and Human Services would be stopping by my residence to make sure that it was fit for a child and also to make sure there are no red flags that need to be looked into.

He said that any person who was residing in my house would be subject to a background check and a round of interviewing.

The second thing he told me would happen would be that I would have two supervised visitations with Ava to see how I interacted with her and to make sure she wasn't uncomfortable with me.

The Wilson's attorney was quiet through the entire hearing and I eagerly agreed to both of the conditions the judge had just laid on me. I had nothing to hide and neither did Bella or Jake. I was completely confident in my ability to parent Ava and I knew time would prove that.

I thanked the judge and we were dismissed. I was glad to know what would happen next and the only thing I could do was wait until the process really got rolling.

It was the middle of October before the DHHS representative showed up at the house for our surprise visit. She seemed to be impressed with everything, especially Ava's room. The house was clean, like it always is and Jake had helped me finish fencing in the back yard and put together the big jungle gym that we'd bought for her.

She said we seemed to be completely prepared to bring a small child into the house and she also conducted her interviews with both Jacob and Bella, and of course they passed with flying colors. They are both amazing people.

That's also the day that she scheduled my supervised visits and asked me where I would like to have them at. I asked to please have them at my house because Ava hadn't been there yet and I wanted to show her around and the lady agreed. We scheduled the first visit for the next day and as she was leaving, she pulled out her phone to notify the Wilsons.

I was beyond excited to see Ava because it had been several weeks since the last time I had a visit with her and I needed to assess the damage—so to speak. I really needed to see if her thoughts of me had changed and it was nearly impossible for me to sleep that night.

Bella just kept shaking her head and smiling at me as I tossed and turned all night. The most amazing part of the deal was that Bella would be home during the visit, so Ava would finally get a chance to meet Bella.

After a restless night of sleep and several distracted hours in the office, I was home and nervously pacing the floor by the window watching for Ms. Weber to show up with Ava. All it took was one for Bella to come up behind me and wrap her arms around my waist and the nerves melted away, once again bringing me down to earth.

The visit was scheduled for four o'clock and Ms. Weber showed up at five till. I walked outside to greet them and as soon as Ava was free from her car seat, she came running up to me, squealing, "Daaaaaaaddy!" as she flung herself into my arms. It was heart-warming to realize she still loved me as much as she did before.

I hugged her so tight to my chest as I saw Ms. Weber walking up, smiling at our interaction. "Ava, sweetheart, I've missed you!"

"I misseded you too, Daddy Jap-ser!" She smiled wide as I walked her up to the house. "Momma says you was sick and couldn't see me."

"I'm better now, baby girl," I assured her as we got to the door. "This is my house, do you want to go inside and look around?"

She nodded and tugged on my arm so I quickly let us all into the house. Ms. Weber silently sat in a chair and just observed. We were supposed to pretend like she wasn't there.

Ava stopped when she saw Bella sitting on the couch and just stood there. I knelt down to her level and she whispered, "Who is she?"

"That's my girlfriend, Bella; do you want to meet her?"

"Yes, she's pretty!"

"I know she is," I agreed. "She's pretty just like you." I took her over to the couch to Bella and introduced them.

Bella was so sweet to Ava and my little girl had her daddy's good taste, because she took to Bella immediately. I wanted to show her the room we had for her, but I didn't want to confuse her yet, so I suggested that we go outside and play and that sparked her interest.

She had Bella pushing her on the swing while she kept giggling and screaming, "Watch me, Daddy! I go high!" I loved watching the interaction between the two most important girls in my life and I felt like chick but the emotion of the situation damn near made me cry. It was so special to witness.

Ava also discovered the sandbox and we spent some time making a miniature sand castle. We were outside for just over an hour before we went inside for dinner. I fixed her favorite, macaroni and cheese and hot dogs with corn, and we ate.

Far too soon, it was time for Ava leave and I hugged her and kissed her and asked her if she would want to come back and she jumped up and down in excitement.

She ran to Bella and hugged her too before taking Ms. Weber's hand to leave. "Bye, Daddy; I love you!" she called out as the left the door.

"I love you, too, sweetheart," I hollered back at her. The smile on her face was unmistakable as she was buckled into her car seat. She waved frantically as the car drove away. Bella was standing next to me; I had my right arm wrapped around her shoulder while she had her left arm wrapped around my waist. We both waved back to Ava with our free hands.

Bella rested her head onto my side as we watched until we couldn't see the tail lights any longer. "She's even more beautiful in person, Jasper."

"I know she is," I agreed.

"Do you wanna watch a movie?" she asked as we turned to head back inside.

"Sure, pick one."

She put a DVD in the player and we sat down on the couch together. Halfway through the movie, I leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Thank you…"

"For what?" she asked, never taking her eyes off of the movie.

"For being so good with Ava and for being so amazing to me."

"I think you've got it backwards, but I'd do anything for you," she told me. "I love you."

"What do you mean I've got it backwards?" I asked, perplexed.

"I should be thanking you for rescuing me, for letting me be a part of you and Ava's life, and for loving me."

"You never have to thank me for any of that, Bella; this is what you deserve." I kissed the top of her head and she just hummed in content.

The whole situation was like being on a roller coaster of emotions, taking you up and dropping you down, only to bring you up again. That's what I felt like with the ebb and flow of when I could and couldn't see Ava, but I knew it would all work out eventually, and then, things would truly be as they should.

We were heading up to bed when my phone rang again, like déjà vu. This time, it was the Wilson's number.

"Hello?" I answered slowly, cautiously.

"Jasper, we need to talk…"


	21. Conflict Resolution

**A/N: Well I'm sorry it took me a bit longer to get this out than it did the last two chapters, but I'm really trying! Thanks to ForeverLiz for the WC that got my ass working on this and for her encouragment and making me laugh!**

**Have you guys heard of the situation that a member of the fandom is going through? Her name is mostlyalurker and I discovered her cause on twitter and would like to personally ask you to check it out and see if there's anything you can do! Check it out by going to mostlyalurker (dot) blogspot (dot) com of course remove the spaces and put . where the (dot) is :) But y'all are smart right? You can dew eeet!**

***Squee* Round two of the slash backslash 3.0 contest is in voting and my collab with MizzHyde made it! I'm so excited! Now, if you haven't already, go check out ALL of the entries and make sure to get your vote in for your favorite! There are a ton of amazing fics over there and it was hard for me to pick just one... because well, even my own wasn't my favorite! *giggle***

**I have one more question for you! I'm thinking about writing for Fandom4Texas and Im putting a call out to you fabulous CL readers to ask you, what scene or chapter or situation from the story would you like to see in a different POV... or is there something that happened that Jasper didn't really talk about as much as you would have liked? Let me know in your review so I can figure out what it is y'all would like to have more of!**

**All that being said, I really hope you guys like this chapter... remember, it's all in the original plot and there's still more to come!**

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Chapter 21: Conflict Resolution

My heart literally dropped to my stomach when I heard the seriousness of his voice. What if something happened to Ava on the way home? A thousand different scenarios flooded my brain in the five seconds it took me to register that I needed to answer him.

"About what, Damon? Did something happen to Ava?" I asked in a near panic.

"Oh, no, she's fine, Jasper. She's in bed sleeping now, but we really need to talk about this situation; can you come over here tonight?" he asked me.

"Does it have to be tonight? It's getting pretty late and Bella and I were just about to head to bed."

Damon sighed deeply. "I think it has to be tonight, Jasper."

Bella looked questioningly at me and I covered the phone with my hand. "Damon says they need to talk to me and want me to go over there tonight, is that okay with you?"

"God, Jasper, of course!" she answered without even thinking. "Go!"

I kissed her quickly. "Thanks, Bella; you're the best!" I uncovered the phone and told Damon I'd be right over.

In less than half the time it normally took me to get there, I pulled up in front of the Wilson's house. I got out and nervously walked up to the door. It hadn't crossed my mind until just then that it could be a trap or set up of some sort and my heart was pounding as I knocked.

Katherine opened the door and silently gestured for me to enter. I walked over to the chair and sat down facing the couch where Katherine and Damon were sitting. It was awkward for several minutes and I was just about to tell them I was leaving when Damon began talking.

"Jasper, this situation is obviously very complicated and extremely hard on everyone involved. We know how horrible it must be for you to have missed out on so much of Ava's life, but I really hope you can understand where we are coming from, too."

I nodded, swallowing hard.

"We've discussed all of our options with our attorney, Jasper, and it doesn't look good for us. He says that with your rights as the biological father, no matter how many years we've spent raising Ava, you'll win this case. He insists that we can still fight and draw the process out, giving us more time with her, but in the end, the judge is going to award you custody."

My heart nearly leapt out of my chest in joy, although it was dampened by the fact that I knew there was a catch to this whole conversation. "So why are you telling me all of this, Damon?"

"We want to put an offer on the table, Jasper; it would save us all a lot of time and money if we can resolve this out of court and set some terms that are okay with everyone." Damon's voice shook a bit and Katherine continued to sit there silent as can be.

"But why do this now, Damon? I mean, why did I have to come over this late tonight?" I asked, still perplexed about his supposed change of heart.

"Because when Ava got home tonight, she was so excited and happy. She had a sparkle in her eye that we haven't seen since you've been gone and she told us every little thing about her visit, like how you made her favorite dinner and had a huge yard she could play in, then there's the fact that she seems to be completely infatuated with your girlfriend.

"Listen Jasper, we love Ava more than you could possibly imagine and the idea of losing her is killing us, but we'd rather do this on positive terms, than lose any possibility of getting to see her if we drag this out for years."

"I know how hard it is for you guys," I assured them, feeling any animosity that I might have been holding on to dissipate quickly. "I really hope you know that I would never take Ava away from you completely. She loves you guys and needs you just as much as I love and need her. I've been hoping that we could work this out amicably rather than dragging each other through the mud, too."

Katherine spoke up for the first time since I'd arrived. "Oh, Jasper, you have no idea how much that means to us. We can't lose her; we just can't."

"Okay, so what are your terms?" I asked hesitantly.

"We want a sort of visitation schedule set in stone so that we get some time with her. You already know that we take damn good care of her but we would like something along the lines of every other weekend and one night a week, possibly Wednesday nights just to keep the situation steady. We'd also like to be able to have her for holiday celebrations. We know we can't take her away from you on the actual holidays but we'd like added days to celebrate our own way here," Damon requested confidently.

I sat back quietly, thinking it over in my head. It didn't seem to be an unreasonable offer and it would be the sort of agreement that she would be in if it were a custody agreement between divorced parents.

"Of course I have to discuss this with my lawyer but I am almost positive that we can arrange that. I know this situation is unique to most custody disagreements and I absolutely want you to be a part of Ava's life still, a major part. I was also thinking that maybe during the summer, we could work it out so that you could take her for a week, like if you wanted to go on a vacation," I offered. "Then that would be the perfect time for me to take Bella on a getaway, just the two of us. Does that sound like something you'd want to work into the agreement?"

"That would be perfect, Jasper. We'd love to still be able to take her on vacations with us," Katherine agreed. "We have one final question for you and this is the one we've been dreading most."

Wonderful, I thought to myself.

"We were wondering what you were planning on doing about Maria. Were you planning on allowing her to see Ava still?" Damon asked nervously.

My blood began to boil at the mere mention of her name. "I should cut her out of the equation forever for what she did, but the truth of the matter is that she's important to Ava too. I've been thinking long and hard about this and I've discussed it with Bella to get a woman's point of view on the situation and I've decided that Maria can still be allowed to visit Ava but only when she's here on your time as I don't want anything to do with her."

Damon and Katherine were nodding during my answer and kept looking back and forth between me and each other.

"But I have ground rules for that whole situation. She is never to take Ava anywhere alone and Edward is not allowed near her ever. If I find out that any part of the rules were broken, I will not hesitate to have your visitation rights revoked, period." My eyes locked with Damon's and I knew he would agree because they were not willing to risk losing their time with Ava.

"That's completely understandable, Jasper," Damon agreed right away.

Katherine spoke up immediately after. "We'd never do anything to violate your trust."

I couldn't do anything but trust that they were telling me the truth. "Okay, well I'll call my lawyer tomorrow and get back to you, but if it all checks out, he'll get ahold of your lawyer and we'll set up a time to get together and draw up the paperwork. Does that work for you?"

"Sounds good," Damon agreed, standing up and extending his hand to me. I stood up and shook his. "Thank you for coming over tonight, Jasper; we were afraid we might lose our nerve if we didn't do it right away."

"It's not a problem," I assured them. "I'm glad we could agree on this and I'll get ahold of you very soon."

Damon walked me to the door and I left feeling very content in the situation.

Bella was asleep on the couch when I got home. I knelt down beside her and kissed her forehead, making her stir. "Hey, sweetie," I whispered. "Why aren't you in bed?"

"I wanted to wait up for you," she replied hoarsely. "Needed to make sure you were okay when you got home. Sorry I fell asleep."

"Oh, Bella, I'm more than okay but I'll explain it all upstairs. C'mon, let's get your gorgeous ass in bed!" I scooped her up off the couch, eliciting a tired giggle from her as she wrapped her arms around my neck and laid her head on my shoulder.

I tucked Bella into bed and lay down beside her, recounting the entire conversation that I'd had with the Wilsons. It was late into the night when we finally fell asleep, clinging to each other and both elated over the impending end of this whole legal battle.

After Bella left for school and I before I went to work, I called Aro and laid it all out for him. I asked him if it was possible to work this out without a trial and he told me that as long as we could all meet up with their lawyer present also and outline the terms, that he didn't see why the judge wouldn't sign off on it. So I asked him to contact the opposing attorney and set up a meeting and get back to me as soon as possible.

After I got off the phone, I went to work where Paul and Jared were having a disagreement about the placement of some of the menus on a new account we were working on. We never really fight with each other, but of course we have creative differences of opinion. They asked me to help them settle the issue and once the page was laid out in a way we all agreed on and were confident that the client was going to love, we went to lunch.

Over lunch I told them all about the new developments in the case and about my late night meeting with Damon and Katherine. They were both beyond excited for me and it was refreshing to see the enthusiasm and support coming from people outside of the case and my family.

Paul piped up and asked, "So are you ready to be a full-time dad? Do you know when Ava is going to be home for good?"

"I'm so ready to have her home and be there for her full-time. I know it's going to be a huge adjustment and it's not going to be all roses and sunshine, but I can't wait and we'll just have to work out the kinks as they come. I'm not positive when she'll get to come home for good but I'm hoping it's really soon!"

"So, what are you going to do for daycare? I mean, she goes to school in the mornings, but what about after that? You have work and I know we're really flexible about working from home, but there are gonna be times when you have to be in the office and Bella won't be home. Are you just going to take her to a daycare around town or will someone you know watch her?" Jared asked.

"I haven't really thought about that yet. I guess I'd have to discuss it with Bella and see what she thinks, but maybe my mom could watch her in the afternoons after she gets out of school. I don't know yet but you brought up a good point, J." I smiled thankfully at him. I knew there were going to be things that I hadn't thought of and that was one of them.

We went back to work and finished up for the day. As soon as I got into my car, Aro called to inform me that we had a meeting set up for Friday morning and if we could get the judge to sign off on the agreement before three that afternoon, it was likely that Ava would be in my custody that night.

I thanked him profusely and drove home to make dinner. We sure had something to celebrate and Bella and I had some things to discuss. Friday wasn't going to get there fast enough.

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**What did ya think? Also, don't forget to let me know your preference for that outtake... Much love to you all! YOu guys are what keeps me going with this story! *muah***


	22. The Hearing

**A/N: *blinks* *blinks blinks* Yes, it's really me with a CL update! I suck and I have no excuse, except I began working on finishing a story I started like at the beginning of the year and that took awhile, then I got sick of writing for awhile and took the entire month of December off from writing and just read some non-fanfiction books and it was glorious! But I'm back and I'm ready to continue working on this story and I hope you haven't given up on me. **

**I hope this New Year is filled with everything you guys can hope for because you all deserve it for being the best! Thanks for your continued support and I really hope you enjoy the chapter!**

**xoxo**

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Chapter 22: The Hearing

I was so on edge waiting for Friday to arrive that all day that Thursday I felt positively sick to my stomach with anticipation and anxiety of what would happen. All the dreams I never really knew I had in life depended on that one very important meeting with the judge.

Bella tried everything she could to ease my tension and eventually suggested that I take Jake and go out to the basketball court and work off some of my excess energy. I was happy to do so to get out of her hair. I knew that my constant worrying was more than likely grating on Bella's last nerve and that's not what I wanted at all, but she was being so supportive and loving about the whole situation that I couldn't help but fall just that much more in love with her.

Jake and I spent hours on the court, playing one on one and just talking. He was just as excited as I was, but not nervous at all. He had the confidence that I wished I had and kept assuring me that everything was going to work out and I would have my daughter as soon as I could.

We also talked more about Alice. Jake was so enamored by her and I thought it was wonderful. I hadn't seen him that happy since we became friends and it was truly awesome. Jake wanted to actually meet Alice but they weren't sure when they could make it work and that had been bumming him out just a bit.

Once we finished our final game, we headed back inside. I appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, following the wonderful smell that greeted me when I left the bathroom after my quick shower.

"Damn, baby, that smells amazing! What's for supper?" I asked as I wrapped my arms around her waist and held her tightly to me. I couldn't get enough of being near her and didn't think I ever would.

"Lasagna, salad, and garlic bread," she answered before twisting her head and kissing me gently. "Please go see if Jake wants to come up and eat with us."

"Okay, babe," I agreed and released her from my grip reluctantly to go do as she asked, because let's face it; I'd always do what she asked of me if it meant she'd stay with me forever.

I knocked on the door at the top of the stairs to Jake's basement apartment and then went on down. He was sprawled out on the couch with his phone up to his ear. "Yeah, that sounds good sweetheart…" he replied with a goofy-ass grin on his face. I could only assume it was Alice on the other end. He looked up and noticed me standing at the bottom of the stairs. "Hey, Jasper's here; can I talk to you later?" he mumbled quietly and listened for another second. "Me too… I'll call ya soon, 'kay?"

His face lit up and I decided I didn't want to know what she was saying to him. Then Jake fucking giggled and I just shook my head. "Okay… bye, babe," he finished and then hung up the phone.

I busted out laughing and he glared at me for a moment before his smile returned. "What do you want, fucker?" he asked me. "I was busy."

"Bella wants to know if you'd like to eat with us tonight."

"Hell yeah!" He fist pumped the air… too much Jersey Shore. "Bella's the best cook and I'm starving… let's go!" He jumped up off the couch, grabbed his phone and shoved his way past me up the stairs.

I followed him up and Bella had already set the table and began to dish it up. We sat down to eat and dinner conversation mostly revolved around Bella hounding Jake for details while I teased him mercilessly for his damn giggling. My arm was sore from Bella smacking me and telling me to 'leave him alone' and that it's 'soooooo adorable' and other cutesy things.

She thought it was absolutely wonderful that our best friends were hitting it off so well and had grandiose plans for their wedding already. I think mostly she was hoping that if Alice fell for Jake, then she would move to Lincoln and Bella would have her all the time. I secretly hoped for that too, for the sake of Bella's happiness.

Anyway, after dinner we decided to play Scrabble and of course, Bella kicked our asses. She was so good with knowing all those stupid little words that no one else did and every time Jake and I challenged her, she would pull out the dictionary and prove us wrong. It happened so often that we finally stopped challenging her and just let her have her points. She may have done a very silly victory dance after her win that made both Jake and me laugh so hard we fell off our chairs and actually rolled around on the floor. Bella pretended to pout and I pulled her down onto the floor with us, where Jake and I tickled her until we were laughing so hard we couldn't breathe anymore.

It was a fun time and a great stress reliever but I knew I needed to sleep, or at least try to, because the hearing was early, so Jake headed back downstairs, mostly likely to call his woman, and I took mine to bed.

When we arrived at the courthouse the next morning, Damon and Katherine were already there with their attorney. Bella had skipped her morning classes to be there to support me and I was so glad because I wasn't sure I could do it alone. Ms. Weber was also present in case the judge had any questions about Ava's best interests.

The hearing wasn't held in an actual court room but more like one of those meeting rooms with the big wooden table and twenty plush chairs arranged around it. Judge Ateara arrived and Aro explained the situation to him. He talked to Damon and Katherine who agreed with everything that Aro told the judge and when they were asked. Everything seemed to be going very well but the judge had yet to give his decision.

He turned to me after several long and excruciatingly silent moments and asked, "Mr. Whitlock, are you sure this is what you really want?"

"Yes, Sir," I replied confidently and without hesitation.

"I just want to make absolutely sure that you are aware that by signing the document you are asking for, it means you are allowing the Wilsons to have a right to see Ava on the pre-determined schedule and that not allowing them to do so would be breaking a legally binding contract and could result in jail time." His gaze was intense and it felt like he was trying to read my body language as much as he was paying attention to my words.

I sat up just a bit straighter and looked him directly in the eye. "I assure you, Your Honor, that I am aware of the legal ramifications of breaking a contract and that I won't change my mind unless something drastic was to happen, in which case, I would go through the proper channels to have the document legally revised and/or voided."

I turned to the Wilsons and kept speaking. "If I could, I would also like to confirm my reasoning to anyone in the room who may still have any suspicions left about my actions regarding filing this claim for custody of Ava. I know the Wilsons are very good people who have treated Ava with nothing but love and support since she came into their care and that it would be a complete tragedy to take her away from them completely when they haven't done anything wrong. Ava loves them and would be devastated if she didn't get to spend time with them anymore.

"I honestly believe that it isn't their fault that Maria lied to them and the court system and led them to believe that she didn't know who I was, but as her biological father, I know I have every right to watch my daughter grow up under my daily care."

Judge Ateara continued to look at no one but me. "Mr. Whitlock, please tell me in your own words why you believe that Ava would be better off with you than the Wilsons, who have been her sole guardians since she was born. You have no previous experience in parenting, is that correct?"

Tears were welling up in my eyes but I felt passionately about being able to get my words out. "I never knew I had a daughter, Your Honor, and I do not have any other children but now that I know about Ava and the amazing little girl that she is, I don't think that I could go on with the knowledge that she's out there and I'm not being allowed to raise her. I have a wonderful and loving family that will be there to help me every step of the way if I have any questions or concerns. I am more than able to provide a stable environment for her and have worked hard to be able to buy a house with a back yard for her to play in and plenty of room for her to grow up.

"In reference to your question about Ava being better off with me, with all due respect Sir, I am her father and that's why she would be better off with me. Her mother knew she wasn't capable of raising her but I wasn't given the option. I'm so thankful to the Wilsons for being there for her and helping her grow into the beautiful little girl she is now, but even they can attest to the instant bond that formed when Ava and I met for the first time. She loves me, Your Honor, and I love her, and I know that Bella and I will do everything in our power to make sure she always has everything she needs in a safe and nurturing environment."

"I'm glad you brought up your girlfriend, Mr. Whitlock, because that's another small concern I have. You two haven't been together for very long and you've already moved her in with you, is that correct?"

Bella slipped her hand into mine under the table and squeezed it in quiet show of support. "That is correct, Sir."

"Do you believe that this was the smartest move for Ava? It's been proven that when kids become attached to someone in a motherly position and then that person leaves, it can cause them a lot of undue grief and set them back or stunt their emotional growth." Judge Ateara was really pulling out the hard questions.

"The whole situation is complicated, Sir, but yes, I do believe that Bella living in our home is a smart move. It's taken me a really long time to get to the point that I am now, Sir, but I have no doubt in my mind that Bella is it for me and will be a tremendously positive influence on Ava. I love her and nothing you say will make me change my mind about it or the fact that I want her to be the one to help me raise my daughter. If you have any doubts about Bella or her abilities, you can certainly ask Ms. Weber her opinion, as she's seen Bella's interactions with Ava and will undoubtedly confirm her positive role in this situation."

Judge Ateara looked to Ms. Weber, who nodded and smiled politely, and then back to Bella and myself, sitting side-by-side, presenting ourselves as one unit. He sat back in his chair at the head of the table and put hands together, drumming his fingers against each other and looking as if he were deep in thought.

We all sat there awkwardly looking at each other but my eyes immediately looked to my left and found unwavering support and love in Bella eyes. She smiled at me and I knew it was going to be good news from the judge because I couldn't let myself think of anything else.

Soon, the judge cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention back to him. "I've made my decision," he announced.

There was a barely audible intake of air from pretty much everyone involved as we held our breath waiting for him to speak again. "This case is extremely unique and not something I've come across in all my years of presiding over different cases. There's not really a specific example or set of rules I can rely on to help me make this decision, so therefore I must go with my gut feeling and do what I feel is best for the child in question. I believe that the council for Mr. Whitlock has done everything necessary to prove that he is indeed the rightful, biological father to Ava Wilson and in that case, I am awarding him full custody."

I let out the breath I'd been holding in and tried my best to hold back the cheer that bubbled in my throat. Bella threw her arms around my neck and hugged me tightly, whispering "Congratulations, Jasper!" in my ear and tears began to stream down my face.

"I have also decided that in the best interest of the child, I will approve the Wilson's request for legal visitations based on the schedule that has been provided to me and it is to be obeyed at all times. If there are any complaints filed by either party regarding the breaking of the schedule, I will not be a happy man and reserve the right to void the contract myself. I am ruling that Mr. Whitlock will legally become Ava's guardian as soon as the papers are signed and that the child shall be in Mr. Whitlock's care immediately following the hearing." He then banged his gavel on the table and got stood, indicating that the hearing was over.

We all headed out to the lobby to sign the papers in front of a Notary Public to make it official and as soon as I signed the paper, my heart began to beat wildly in my chest. Ava was finally, legally in my care and I couldn't wait to take her home.

Damon and Katherine came over to shake my hand and hug me in turn, which was more than I was expecting with all things considered. "You're a good man, Jasper," Damon told me solemnly. "Thank you for not fighting us on the visitations, we appreciate that a lot."

"It's no problem at all," I assured them with Bella at my side. I didn't want to seem rude, but I was really ready to get out of that courthouse and go get Ava.

Aro walked over to join us. "Well, that's everything, Jasper. She's officially in your custody so whenever you are ready, you can go get her."

Bella and I looked at each other and smiled. She squeezed my hand and asked, "Are you ready for this?"

"I am," I replied with a wicked grin. "Let's go get her."

I looked expectantly at Katherine and Damon who quickly scrambled to get their stuff. "She's at home with a babysitter; you can follow us."

And we did, all the way to their front door.


	23. Ava's Reaction

**A/N: Yup it's another short chapter but a good place to stop! I hope you enjoy it and I hope I did the chapter justice! Remember, this is as real as I could make it feel! I'll have another chapter done and out soon! see ya then! Thanks for the continued support!**

**xoxo**

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Chapter 23: Ava's Reaction

Damon and Katherine were waiting in their living room when Bella and I arrived, shortly after the court hearing. It was the first time that Bella had been to the Wilsons, so she was quietly looking around, taking in her surroundings as soon as we stepped through the door.

Ava gasped when she saw us. "Bella!" she cried out happily and darted toward her until I came into her line of sight.

"Daddy Jap-ser!" she squealed loudly as she threw herself into my arms.

"Hey, sweetie," I answered back cheerfully, treasuring my first hug as legal guardian of her.

"Are you going to stay a play wif me?" she asked, her eyes going wide and almost pleading.

We hadn't told her anything about what was going on because not knowing the outcome had us all on edge and how do you explain that to a three year old? Damon stepped forward and carefully peeled Ava from my grip.

"Sweetheart, we have something to tell you, okay?" he said as he carried her over to the couch and sat her down on his lap.

"What, Daddy?" She looked up at him expectantly he sighed deeply. I knew it was killing him to hold it together so well because if I were in his place, I would have been dying inside.

"Honey, you are going to be going to live with Jasper and Bella at their house and then you will still get to come over here and visit and spend the night sometimes. What do you think about that?"

"But why?" she asked, looking completely confused. Her brows were crinkled like she was trying to figure it out.

"Because, Jasper is your real daddy and he loves you and wants you to come live with him," Katherine explained to her.

"You don't love me anymore, Mommy?" she asked and my heart shattered to pieces. I knew it was going to be hard, but I didn't realize just how devastating it would be to watch Ava being taken out of her home away from the parents that she knew, loved, and trusted.

"Oh, God, Ava, of course we do; we love you so, so much! Don't you ever think that we don't love you," Katherine countered.

Ava hugged herself to Damon tightly and whispered, "Okay…"

Tears were being shed by all three of them at that point and I had no idea what to do or how to act, because I was the one who was causing all of it.

Bella slipped her arm around my waist and pressed herself tightly into my side; she instinctively knew what I needed and my heart healed minutely in that moment.

"Ava," I stepped cautiously toward them and bent down to her level. "Would you like to come over to my house and see your room and all your new toys? If you like it, you can sleep there tonight; if you aren't comfortable and want to come back here, I'll bring you back and you can sleep in your old room tonight."

Damon's head snapped up quickly and his eyes searched mine for the truth. I nodded at him indicating my true intentions. The most important thing in the process was for Ava to be comfortable and feel safe and secure and I realized that. If she didn't trust me completely, then she would end up growing up to resent me for taking her away from her 'Mommy and Daddy' and her home.

She sniffled and let go of Damon's neck. "Really?"

"Absolutely," I assured her. "All of the stuff you have here, is going to stay here for when you come back; I have new toys and clothes and stuff for you in your new room."

"Can Mommy and Daddy come see my new room?" she asked, her sniffles were gone and she seemed genuinely concerned about that.

I looked to Damon and Katherine for a visual cue before answering that. I wasn't sure if it would make them feel better or worse to see where Ava would be living. They looked to each other, having an obviously silent conversation and finally nodded at me.

"Of course, they can come over and see your new room. They can even stay and eat dinner with us if they want to," I offered. "It's up to them."

Ava turned to ask, "Will you come wif me?"

"Anything you want, baby girl."

Once we arrived back at our house, we went inside and gave the Wilsons a tour before ending up at Ava's room. I opened the door and revealed the pale purple walls with Dora, Boots, Swiper, and the gang all decorating the walls. There was a bookshelf against the wall to our right, a toy organizer and Dora kitchen center against the wall directly in front of us, the toys box was against the wall to our left in the corner by the kitchenette and the bed was directly to our left in the corner. There was a bright pink rug in the middle of the room and the closet was behind the door.

Ava wiggled out of my arms and ran into the space, looking everywhere at once and trying desperately to figure out what she wanted to do the most. "Daddy, this is so cool!" she shrieked and jumped onto her bed. "I loved Dora!"

"Good choice," I whispered to Bella and smiled. She was the one who ultimately thought Dora would be the best option.

"You did good," Katherine said we stood in the doorway watching Ava enjoy her room. "She's gonna love it here."

"I hope you know I was serious back at your house," I said lowly. "If she decides to go back to your house tonight, I'm going to let her; I don't want to rush this or push her limits."

"Thank you, Jasper," Damon answered. "That means a lot to us."

Bella had slipped from my side and made her way into Ava's room and was showing her all the cool new stuff she had to see. It was so good to see them interacting so well and I couldn't hide the smile of seeing my family together.

"Ava, sweetheart, what would you like for dinner tonight?" I asked, interrupting her conversation with Bella.

"Pizza wif pep-ronis," she answered quickly and then diverted her attention back to Bella.

Damon and Katherine followed me down to the living room while I ordered the pizza and we sat and talked about things they thought I might need to know. I knew about her part-time pre-school schedule and that they had enrolled her in a pre-k dance class two nights a week but they also informed me about a few other things that I wasn't aware of like that she really hated mushrooms and broccoli but that pears made her sick. She wasn't necessarily allergic as they had the tests done, but they upset her stomach and she would vomit every time.

They were almost frantic in trying to tell me everything and at one point I had to slow them down and assure them that if I had any questions or concerns, they would be the first people I called. The pizza guy arrived soon after and I called Bella and Ava down for dinner.

We ate together, mostly focused on Ava and when we were done, we let her go outside to play for about half an hour until it was time for Damon and Katherine to leave.

"Mommy and Daddy have to go home so you can take a bath and get ready for bed," Katherine told her, calling her over to them.

"You're leaving?" she asked softly and bit her lip into her mouth.

I bent down and pulled her to me. "Ava, it's your choice, do you want to stay here tonight with Daddy and Bella in your new room or do you wanna go back to your old bedroom?"

Tears welled up in her eyes and she looked so unsure and I couldn't take it, she needed to be sure that she wanted to stay in order to make this work. "Do you wanna go back with them?" I asked her tenderly.

She nodded her head slightly and hugged me. "Can I come back over tomorrow to play with my toys?"

"Of course you can," I answered immediately. "And if you are okay with it, tomorrow night you can sleep here in your new bed."

"Okay!" The seemed to cheer her up a bit. She gave Bella a hug too and then said, "Let's go, guys!" and practically dragged Damon and Katherine to the front door.

Damon turned to me and said, "We'll bring her back here after breakfast and then we'll go home, I think us being here is confusing her."

"I'm sorry," Katherine added quietly.

"There's nothing to be sorry for, I want her to be happy," I assured them. "We'll see you guys in the morning."

We said our final good-byes and they left with my little girl in tow.

I sighed deeply and slumped back against the door, sliding slowly to the floor. It hurt to see her walk away but I knew she'd be back and tomorrow we'd spend the whole day together so that was something to look forward to.

"Are you okay?" Bella asked carefully, obviously not sure what she should do or not quite sure what I needed.

"Yeah, I'm just a bit sad, but I'll be okay."

I stood up and grabbed the phone from the table. "How would you feel about a barbeque tomorrow night?" I asked her.

"Sounds good, it's not supposed to be too cold tomorrow," she replied.

"Great, I'm gonna call everyone and invite them over; I think it's time Ava met the rest of her family."


	24. Family Barbeque

**A/N: So I'm trying to make up for that three month dry spell from updates! Am I earning your forgiveness? :) Thanks to everyone for your support on this, you got me to 400 reviews this past chapter and i did some sort of crazy dance! I'm shocked and so thankful to you all and hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**xoxo**

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Chapter 24

I won't lie and say I wasn't disappointed when Ava left to go back with Damon and Katherine, because I was, but I'd realized that day that things were going to be a bit different than I had imagined when I first decided to gain custody of her.

Honestly, I wasn't thinking as much about how hard the transition would be for her and how scared and confused she might be. I knew she loved me from the time I'd spent with her, but she didn't know me like she knew them and I had to gain her trust and acceptance before the whole situation could really work.

So to take my mind off the disappointment, I called everyone to invite them to the barbeque and then Bella and I ran to the store to pick up all the things we would need.

By the time we got home, it was bedtime. I was lying in bed waiting for Bella to finish her shower because it had become hard to sleep without her warmth next to me when she stepped out of the bathroom, completely naked.

"Where are your clothes, you naughty tease?" I asked her, smiling and yawning at the same time.

Bella crawled seductively up the bed toward me, not saying a word but there was a fire in her eyes as she openly ogled my body. Her grin was wicked as she dipped her head to lick one of my nipples and I yelped in surprise.

She nipped and teased my skin, smoothing over the bites marks with her tongue as she worked her way toward my neck. Kissing me softly and running her hands through my hair, she leaned up and whispered, "I want you, Jasper… I need to feel you so deep."

I groaned and bucked into her, my boxers clearly in the way. Bella continued to whisper dirty things into my ear as she slid them down my legs and threw them across the room. "It's been too long since I've had you buried inside of me; God I need you…"

I needed her too, so much more than I could express. Without her, I wouldn't have had the courage to do half the things I did and that made my heart swell and my dick throb with want. "Touch me, Jasper…" she pleaded.

"Anything for you, gorgeous…" I answered before crushing my lips to hers. Her tongue immediately shoved its way none-to-gracefully into my mouth and began caressing mine. My hands ran down the expanse of her smooth and silky back seeking out the perfect curves of her ass, squeezing softly and eliciting a shiver from her body that my entire being felt.

I rolled us so that she was on her back and I was hovering over her, kissing my way down her body until I got to her gorgeous breasts that I loved so much. I teased her nipples between my teeth as she had done to me while my fingers slid right over her wet slit and paused at her entrance. "God, I fucking love how wet you are for me, Bella," I whispered against her breast and plunged my fingers deep inside of her heat, twisting and pumping them as she cried out in delight. Her entire body writhed under me as she begged for _more, harder, faster. _

My cock was throbbing so hard I couldn't ignore it anymore. "I'm gonna take you so hard, Bella, I hope you're ready for me…"

"Fuck… yes, Jasper, I'm fucking ready," she gasped and clawed at my back, trying to pull me closer.

I lined myself up and thrust into her hard, my hips meeting her ass every time I pushed back into her, setting a demanding pace. My grunts escaped without permission and our sweat slicked bodies slid easily against each other. I couldn't keep my lips off of Bella, kissing, licking, and tasting her everywhere I could reach as our mating connected us even more so than usual.

"Oh, oh, oh…" Bella moaned over and over. "I'm so close, Jas, fuck… gonna come so hard."

Her walls began to clench around me and it busted the spring that was coiled so tightly inside of me. I threw my head back and roared her name loudly as I exploded inside of her, her body milking my orgasm right out of me as she held onto me tightly.

I collapsed on top of her and let her hold me while our breathing slowed and returned to normal. I felt myself begin to slip out of her and that's when I realized something. "Oh shit…" I muttered.

"What's the matter?" she asked concerned.

"Bells, we got a little carried away… I didn't even think and forgot to use a condom…" My heart clenched and my stomach turned, how could I be so careless with her like that?

"Jasper, it's okay…" she cooed. "I promise. I'm on the pill as backup in case you've forgotten and I just got over that monthly thing, I think we're safe."

"I know, Bella, but I just hate to think of something happening to you. I always used a condom before but I was never the poster boy for monogamy and… God, I'm just so sorry for it all," I told her.

Since I finally had her in my life to make sense of everything, I was so ashamed of the way I behaved in the past with women and the amount that I had been with. I buried my head in her neck and let her console me, maybe it was because Ava went back with the Wilsons but I was apparently teetering on the edge of emotional stability and as usual, Bella knew what I needed to hear.

"Jasper, baby, you don't need to worry about me. I know about your tendencies in the past but that's not who you are, really. I mean look at you and everything you're doing with your life now, you have nothing to be sorry for. You love me, I love you, we're going to be here raising your beautiful daughter together and things couldn't be more perfect.

"I loved having you inside of me bare and feeling every glorious inch of your skin on mine but if it makes you feel better, we can both go get tested together to ease your worries." She was so good at comforting me.

"I think we should," I conceded. "Your health is so important to me and I'm still sorry."

Bella kissed my temple gently and we just lay there together, tangled up in each other and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning I was up and showered earlier than normal because I wasn't sure when Ava was going to be arriving. I let Bella sleep in a bit and stayed in the kitchen making us some breakfast. Jake smelled food and wandered upstairs asking me about the night before and what had happened.

He agreed to come to the gathering later and we ate breakfast together. Bella eventually made her way downstairs, she looked sleepy but beautiful in a pair of jeans and one of my old, ratty school t-shirts.

I rushed over to her, still feeling a bit guilty about the night before, and hugged her tightly. "Hey baby," I breathed into her ear before capturing her lips into a sweet kiss.

"Good morning to you, too!" Her grin was refreshing to see so early. "What's for breakfast?"

"Scrambled eggs and French toast," I answered back. "You want?"

"I want…" she agreed and headed over to the kitchen table next to Jake.

I fixed her breakfast as we all idly talked and my stomach twisted and turned in anticipation of the day.

Ava arrived shortly after ten and the Wilsons left without even coming into the house. Ava seemed to be okay with it, hugging them and then leaping into my arms asking where Bella is.

She wiggled out of my arms and ran to Bella as soon as we entered the kitchen. She climbed up on Bella's lap and just sat there staring at Jake with wide eyes. Jake was a bit intimidating to anyone because of his size but to a three year old he had to look like big foot.

"Who is dat?" she asked Bella quietly.

"That's your daddy's friend, Jake."

Jake smiled really wide at her and there's no way she could be scared of him with that smile on his face. "Is he nice?" she asked very seriously.

"He's very, very nice," she assured Ava, who then squinted a bit staring Jake up and down before apparently deciding he was okay.

"Can I go play outside?" she asked. It had been unseasonably warm for the end of October so I didn't have a problem saying yes.

"Will you come push me high on the swing?" she asked Jake, tugging on his arm. He smiled so big and agreed instantly.

Bella and I started to get things ready for the day. She began tearing lettuce for the salad and I began to season and marinate the steaks for grilling. Then she was cutting up vegetables for the kebobs while I put the fruit salad together. It was peaceful working together in the kitchen as effortlessly as we did. It was very domestic and honestly, something I never saw in myself until Bella came along.

The doorbell rang and then Emmett burst into the house, followed by my parents, Rose and the girls. "Hey, baby bro, where the fuck are you?" he hollered loudly.

"Kitchen," I called back at him. They all made their way into the kitchen and we exchanged hellos, hugs, and kisses. I knew they were antsy to meet Ava and I was so excited to introduce them to her so I opened the patio door and called her over.

Everyone made their way outside and waited anxiously. My mother was right by my side as Ava cautiously eyed them and clung to my leg. "Ava, there are some people I want you to meet!" I told her as I unwrapped her tiny arms from my leg and bent down to her level.

"This is my family and they are so excited to meet you, sweetheart," I told her and kissed her forehead.

I pointed to each one of them as I introduced them. "This is your Nana Charlotte, Papa Peter, Uncle Emmett, Auntie Rose, and these are your cousins, Hailey, Chloe, and Sophia."

She looked skeptically at everyone until I got to the girls and then she seemed excited to have someone to play with. "Can they play in my room?" she asked me sweetly and so I shooed them off and everyone sat down around the patio table.

"She gorgeous, Jasper," my mother sighed. "I hate that we've missed so much time with her."

"I know, Mom, but she's having a bit of a hard time adjusting to the situation and I'm hoping that she'll want to stay here tonight instead of going back," I told them all.

"That's understandable, Jasper," my dad told me, scratching the back of his neck like he always did when he wasn't sure if he should give his input. "But she's three and it's better to do this now while she can adjust more quickly than if she was older and more ingrained in her surroundings. Children are resilient and she'll be fine, I promise."

"I know; I just want her here so bad."

Bella came outside then and sat down on my lap. "Everything's ready whenever you want to start cooking," she told me, wrapping her arms around my neck and relaxing into me.

"So, Bella, tell me, is my baby brother treating you right?" Emmett asked her loudly, putting her on the spot and earning him a backhand in the shoulder from Rose.

Bella's face tinted red quickly but she answered him, "He treats me like a princess, Emmett, better than I could imagine."

"Good, he better keep it up or I'll kick his ass…" Em replied lightly.

"Emmett... leave your brother alone for fuck's sake," my dad chastised him and everyone broke out laughing.

"So, have you all heard Jake's got a new love interest?" I asked suddenly and watching Emmett start grilling Jake was hilarious. Jake glared at me and I knew he would get me back eventually but we sat around talking until Emmett began to whine that he was getting hungry, so Dad started helping with the grill.

Pretty soon the quiet was disturbed by a gaggle of girls running toward the back yard and Sophia was crying. "What's wrong pretty girl?" I asked her and she flew into my arms for comfort.

"Uncle Jasper, Ava hit Sophia…" Chloe said and my head jerked up to her.

"Chloe, no tattling," Rose told her seriously but Ava was looking down at the ground.

Sophia went to sit on her daddy's lap and Ava slowly walked over to me. "Is that true, Ava, did you hit Sophia?"

She nodded and her eyes filled with tears, "She took my Barbie away."

"Ava, we don't hit, period," I told her gently. "You need to go tell Sophia you're sorry."

"Are you mad at me Daddy Jap-ser?" she sniffled. I shook my head and answered, "I'm not mad at you; I just don't want you to hit. Please go apologize."

She walked over to Sophia and said she was sorry. "Ava, come here for a second," my mother said and Ava looked to me for confirmation before walking to her and letting Mom scoop her up into her lap.

"Do you remember who I am?" Mom asked.

"You're my Nana?" she replied softly.

"I am and I'm so happy to finally meet you," Mom told her. "Do you know what Papa and I have at our house?"

"No… what?" Ava asked excitedly.

"We have a swimming pool and you can come over and swim sometime, does that sound like a good plan?"

Ava got excited and was bouncing on Mom's lap as she quickly agreed. It was so easy to bribe a three year old. "I bet Hailey, Chloe, and Sophia would come and swim with you!"

"Yaaaaaaay!" she said animatedly. She climbed down and ran over to me. "I go swimming at Nana's!"

"Not today, sweetheart, but soon, I promise!"

"Hey, Rose," Bella called from the kitchen. "Will you help me with this stuff in here?" Rose got up and went inside to help her.

The girls went to the swing set to play and Emmett continued to tease Jacob mercilessly. Mom sat back and observed everything while Dad and I cooked.

When lunch was done, we all ate and talked and Ava seemed to become more and more comfortable around everyone. She asked Auntie Rose to help her when she had to go potty and after lunch Uncle Emmett chased her around the yard and then she squealed for more when he caught her and twirled her around. Then Hailey yelled "Dog pile on Daddy!" and all the girls attacked him and it was great.

I had Bella by my side, my family, best friend and my daughter all at my new home. It was the recipe for a perfect afternoon. I was smiling so much by the end of the day that I thought my face was going to break.

My mother insisted on doing the dishes, much to Bella's displeasure, and I helped clean up the kitchen. "Jasper…" she started to say as she was rinsing some plates. "I'm so proud of the man you've become."

"Thanks, Mom…"

"No, I'm serious, kiddo, I don't think you realize how torn up I was having to sit back and watch you spiral to such lows after Maria did what she did to you. Watching you pull away from us and become so introverted killed me, but seeing you now with Bella and Ava in your life, I can see that this is how it was supposed to be. I just want you to know how thrilled I am to see you so happy."

Remember when I said I was on the edge of emotional stability? My mother shoved me over it with her words and I couldn't help the few tears that slid down my face. I hated how much pain I'd caused my family by not knowing how to deal with the pain I was going through but to hear my mother say the things she'd said, it was so clear to me how my life was destined to turn out.

I hugged my mom and told her how sorry I was to which she just shushed me and told me to go play with my daughter.

It was well after six before everyone left but not before making plans for another family get together the next weekend at my parent's house. Ava hugged everyone before they left and then climbed up on my lap on the couch. "Can we watch Dora?" she asked before yawning and sinking back into me.

Bella turned Dora on and we all sat in silence until it was over. Then we made a quick dinner of sandwiches and I told Ava it was bath time. She got to pick out the pajamas she wanted to wear and then when she was done, I brushed her hair and asked if she was ready for bed.

"Can I sleep in my Dora bed?" she asked as a yawn ripped through her.

"Absolutely sweetheart, do you want to go tell Bella goodnight?"

She nodded. "And Uncle Jakey!"

So we went to the living room where Ava told Bella good night with a hug and kiss and then ran to the basement door. I knocked on the door and then hollered down for Jake to come up for a second.

Ava tackled his leg when he got up to the kitchen. "Good-night Uncle Jakey!" she squealed as he scooped her up. "Good-night goofball," Jake replied, hugging her and then handing her over.

After I tucked Ava into her bed, I kissed her goodnight and turned off the big light leaving only the night light's glow in the room. "I love you, daddy," she whispered as she clutched her new teddy bear.

"I love you, too, Ava," I assured her. "I'll see you in the morning, okay?"

"Okay!"

I left the room and joined my other favorite girl in the living room. "Get her all tucked in?" Bella asked me when I sat down next to her.

I smiled in reply. "Yup…"

"Wanna go tuck me in now?" she asked devilishly before she jumped up off the couch and darted up the stairs. I chased her and she giggled wildly as I tackled her onto the bed and then proceeded to show her just how much I appreciated her presence in my life.

It had been the best day yet.

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**If you liked, please let me know! Until next time lovies!**


	25. Halloween Surprise

**A/N: hey guys, it's really me and this is really an update! I'd say I'm sorry about the lack of updates recently, but honestly, I got sucked into the Black Dagger Brotherhood books and I am not sorry about that at all I'm still not finished with the series but I've been reading so much I just plain haven't had time to write. I really do hope you guys enjoy this chapter, I've had it planned out for a while, I just had to get it down! So to recap, Jasper just got custody of Ava and this would be part of their first full week together.**

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**Chapter 25: Halloween Surprise**

"What do you wanna be for Halloween?" I asked Ava as we strolled down the holiday aisle at Target, browsing their selection of toddler costumes. Halloween was that upcoming Friday night and we'd only had Ava for the first weekend and I'd completely forgotten about getting her something to wear for trick-or-treating.

"A princess!" Her face lit up as it landed on the brightly printed princess costumes.

"Which pretty little princess do you want to be?" I asked her, holding up several different dresses in all different colors.

"That one!" she pointed to the rack at the green costume with the wings. I sorted through them until I found one in her size. "This one?" I asked her as I held it up.

"YEAH!" she answered very loudly, which I'd come to learn was pretty much her normal tone when she was excited about something and that was a lot of the time. Ava was a very happy little girl in general.

"Okay, so Tinkerbell it is." I tossed the costume into the cart and quickly finished up my shopping, grabbing a few things to decorate the house for the party on Friday night. I'd already decided to have a Halloween party that year at the house since I hadn't been aware that I would have custody of Ava so soon, but it happened to fall on the Wilson's weekend with her so it worked out.

Bella and I were going to take her trick-or-treating and then they would come to pick her up for the weekend and the party would start around nine. Friday was going to be a super busy day for me if I wanted the surprise I had planned to work out perfectly and stay a surprise.

As soon as we arrived home from our shopping trip, Ava tore through the house to find Bella so she could show off her princess costume. "Bella!" she yelled out. "Bella, where are you?"

Bella descended the stairs and peeked around the corner. "Boo!"

"AAAAGH!" Ava cried out and then giggled as she ran into Bella arms. "Come look at my Ha-wo-ween costume!"

"What are you going to be?" Bella asked in an exaggerated curious tone.

Ava ran to grab her costume out of the sack and took it over to a waiting Bella. "She wanted to be a princess," I told her. "So we picked out Tinkerbell."

Bella busted out laughing and Ava looked confused. "Isn't it pretty?" she asked.

"It's very pretty," Bella assured her. "We should try it on you later and take some pictures!"

Ava agreed happily and ran to her room to play. "What was that about?" I asked her as I pulled her in close to me.

"Tinkerbell isn't one of the princesses, doofus, she's a fairy," Bella explained as she giggled at my lack of Disney Princess knowledge. "You better study up, cowboy, if you wanna keep up with us girls," she teased me.

We spent the rest of the night playing with Ava in her costume and snapping goofy pictures. I never imagined life could be so great.

On Wednesday Ava had her first weeknight visit with the Wilsons and decided she wanted to stay there that night, which I had known was going to be a possibility when I dropped her off and to my surprise didn't make me feel bad. I guess I had come to the realization that in her eyes, she had two houses now and it wasn't fair to take that away from her. Plus, Bella and I took advantage of the time alone and went on a dinner date, which was a bonus.

By Friday, I had made all the necessary arrangements for my surprise to happen and after work I went straight home to find Bella and Ava, who was already in her costume, waiting for me on the porch. She flew across the yard as soon as I had turned the ignition off as was pulling me out of the car. "Daddy Jap-ser, can we go now? Bella said we had to wait 'til you got here and you're here now!" She was jumping up and down excitedly and looked absolutely precious in her green dress.

"Let me go change really quick and then we'll leave, okay?" I assured her and hustled into the house with a fairy on my heels.

"Hey, Jake," I called out as I got in the door. "We're leaving in a few minutes if you wanna get ready to hand out the candy."

"Be right there…" I heard him holler back and I took the stairs two at a time in order to get changed faster.

We were out the door less than five minutes later and Ava had a blast as we went door-to-door around our neighborhood. She got complimented on what an adorable little thing she was more times than I could count and it made me the epitome of a proud daddy. I was beaming so big I couldn't help it and my face started to hurt.

Bella slipped her hand into mine as Ava ran up to another door. "I love how happy you are," she commented so quietly I almost didn't hear her.

"I love how happy I am too; if someone would have told me six months ago that I could be half as happy as I am now, I'd have laughed in their face." I squeezed Bella's hand. "You were the force that got all of this started, so I think I can safely say you are my saving grace."

I leaned down and kissed her before she could argue with me. "Ewwwww, Daddy, quit that!" Ava squealed. "Look I got more candy!"

"That's great, princess," I told her. "Are you ready to go home? Katherine and Damon will be coming to get you soon to go spend the weekend at their house."

"Yeah! Let's go!" She handed me her bucket and squeezed in between Bella and I, grabbing each of our hands and pulling us toward the house.

Damon and Katherine were already out front talking to Jake when we rounded the corner. The way their faces lit up as they saw Ava was nearly priceless. I couldn't imagine going from full-time caretakers to part-times visitations with Ava but unfortunately that's the way things had to work out, thanks to Maria's carelessness and lack of conscience.

"Momma!" Ava cried and ran to Katherine.

"Hey, baby, you look so cute!" she told her.

"I know, Daddy Jap-ser says I'm a princess."

"You are a princess," Damon cut in. "C'mere sweetheart!" She jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly.

"I'll go get her bag," I told them as I took her bucket inside and grabbed her Dora bag from the living room and took it back out to the porch. Ava hugged and kissed me, Bella, and Uncle Jakey and then took off to the car with the Wilsons.

It was already eight o'clock by then and I still had to shower before people started showing up for the party. I left it up to Bella to pick out our costumes and I gave her props for picking something that really made me look good. I walked downstairs to find out what Bella was going to be wearing because of course she kept it a surprise from me.

I whistled low and loud when I saw her in the corner filling up the snack bowls. She had on skin tight jeans, cowboys boots, one of my plaid button down shirts tied above her belly button and a bright pink cowboy hat on top of her hear. She had her hair braided in pigtails that fell over her shoulders. She was the perfect cowgirl to my cowboy getup.

She looked up at me, blushing profusely. "There's my handsome cowboy," she said seductively as she strutted over to me, looking me up and down.

The doorbell rang before she could pounce and people started to show up. I turned the lights down to increase the ambience, there was music playing in the background and we had shoved the furniture against the walls to make more room for the makeshift dance floor.

All of Bella's friends from work showed up as well as Paul and Jared; Emmett and Rose even decided to get a babysitter and come enjoy the night with us. Everyone brought dates or friends and the house was packed. People were mingling and laughing and dancing and that's when I noticed Jake sitting on the couch with his phone in his lap. He'd come dressed as Zorro with a mask and a cape and everything, but he just looked so lonely.

"Go ask Jake to dance, baby," I suggested casually to Bella, who turned her attention to him.

"Okay," she agreed and sauntered over to Jake and pulled his ass up off the couch.

My phone vibrated in my pocket so I took it out and read the text.

**Almost there, be ready.**

I shot off a quick text in reply.

**Great, can't wait to see the look on their faces. **

I was dancing with Tiff who was very visibly pregnant by that point and we were talking about some new vampire movie when I noticed someone I hadn't noticed before. I assumed it was a female because she was dressed as Catwoman in a black shiny leather suit and the cat face mask. She walked up to where Bella and Jacob were dancing and had to stand on her tip toes to tap him on the shoulder.

Bella graciously gave up her spot to the mystery guest and came back to dance with me. "Who's that?" I asked curiously, nodding in Jake's general direction.

"Catwoman?"

I rolled my eyes at her. "I meant, who is under that Catwoman costume?"

"Oh, I have no idea; Jake seemed just as baffled but you know he's nothing if not polite."

I checked the clock again and realized that it had been twenty minutes since that text and my surprise had yet to show up at the door. "What are you looking so anxious about?" Bella asked me. Of course she would notice the change in my behavior.

"Oh, nothing…" I tried to play it off but Bella kept pestering me. "I'm thirsty; let's get something to drink," I suggested, changing the subject.

We walked into the kitchen to find Jake pouring some punch for his new dance partner. I raised my eyebrow at him in question and he just shrugged but continued with his conversation. Bella and I grabbed a drink and watched cautiously from the corner.

Pretty soon, Catwoman turned her head slightly and I saw her wink at me. That's when the light finally went on inside my head. My surprise had arrived safely.

"So, Catwoman," I cleared my throat as everyone turned toward me in shock for speaking up. "How great does Jake look as Zorro?"

"He's gorgeous, I just wish I could see his face a bit better," she sighed.

"Jasper, what are you doing?" Bella hissed at me, her elbow colliding with my side hard.

"I'm just trying to hook a brother up," I told her, loud enough for them all to hear me.

"Jasper, you know I'm not exactly available…" The pained tone in his voice told me everything I needed to know.

"I know, but she's smokin' right? I mean, how can you resist anyone dressed like that?" I goaded him and I could tell Bella was becoming extremely agitated with me. It was a lot of fun, actually.

"Of course she's gorgeous, bro, but c'mon, you know I'm sort of _with _Alice already." He offered a half-smile and a shrug as an apology to our mystery guest.

Just then, Catwoman wrapped her arms around Jake's neck and pulled him down into a kiss that left even me blushing. Bella was about to launch herself at the kissing couple when Jake pulled away as if finally realizing what was happening. "I… I'm sorry… I can't do this to her…" he stuttered.

That's when Catwoman pulled off her mask, revealing my big surprise.

"Oh, my God," Jake whispered as Alice stood there before him, in the flesh.

"SURPRISE!" Alice shouted and then jumped into Jake's arms. They held each other tight for several moments and I found myself having to look away, as not to intrude on their private moment.

"I can't believe you're really here," I heard him murmur.

"It was all Jasper's idea…" she told him. "I was just going to come at Thanksgiving like we planned but he suggested we surprise you and I thought it was a great idea!"

Bella was looking up at me, smiling from ear-to-ear. "I love you."

"I love you, too," I told her. "Now go hug your friend!"

As I stood there and watched how happy such a little gesture could make my best friend and my girlfriend, I knew it was totally worth it. I also realized there wasn't anything I wouldn't do for either one of them; they were two constants in my crazy little life and I wouldn't give them up for anything in the world.

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**End Note: I've been wanting to give Jake some happy in his life for a while but there was never a good place. Now, this was the perfect place and the next chapter will be from Jake's point of view, so you'll get a better view of his relationship with Alice! Thanks for sticking with me through my absence and I promise you, no matter what happens, I will finish this story. There aren't a whole lot of chapters left, so the story is winding down. Much love to all of you! Don't forget to let me know what you think!**


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